Bursitis

Gout Slideshow

• Bursitis Overview
• Bursitis Causes
• Bursitis Symptoms
• When to Seek Medical Care
• Exams and Tests
• Bursitis Treatment
• Self-Care at Home
• Medical Treatment
• Next Steps
• Follow-up
• Prevention
• Outlook
• Multimedia
• Synonyms and Keywords
• Authors and Editors
• Pictures of Gout - Slideshow
• Related Bursitis articles:
  Bursitis - on MedicineNet
  Arthritis: Bursitis - on WebMD

Bursitis Overview

Bursae (one is a bursa) are fluid-filled sacs that cushion areas of friction between tendon and bone or skin. Like air-filled bubble wrap, these sacs reduce friction between moving parts of the body, such as in the shoulder, elbow, hip, knee, and heel.

The number varies, but most people have about 160 bursae throughout the body. Bursae are lined with special cells called synovial cells, which secrete a fluid rich in collagen and proteins. This synovial fluid acts as a lubricant when parts of the body move. When this fluid becomes infected by bacteria or irritated because of too much movement, the painful condition known as bursitis results.