Home Remedy for Bursitis in the Elbow

The elbow has a fluid-filled sack that sits over the pointed part of the elbow. This is called a bursa, and is there to reduce friction and cushion the bone from collisions and contusions. If you have elbow bursitis--often called student's elbow because students sit with their heads propped on their elbows, causing a chronic condition--you can find a lot of relief with home remedies. If your bursitis does not improve with these remedies, consult your doctor since some bursitis is a result of a bacterial infection that can lead to other serious health problems.

R.I.C.E

• If you suffer from elbow bursitis, think about "R.I.C.E." This acronym refers to rest, ice, compression and elevation. Bursitis is a swelling of the bursa caused by friction or trauma. Resting it will prevent more blood flow from targeting the area. Ice the elbow for twenty minutes every two hours and place a bandage or elbow wrap around the joint to compress it to further reducing swelling. Keeping the elbow elevated will also help to prevent additional swelling.
  Note: When using ice, don't place a plastic bag directly on the skin. Use a towel to prevent freezer burn.

Lifestyle

• If you have bursitis and it wasn't caused by an acute problem such as banging your elbow on the corner of a chair, you need to determine what is causing the problem. As mentioned earlier, elbow bursitis is often called student's elbow because students sit for hours resting on their heads on their elbows and gliding them along desks to turn pages or make notes. You might not be a student, but could be doing something similar at your own desk. You may lie on the floor and read a book while propped up on your elbows, or lean on your arm while driving. Anything that puts constant stress and pressure on the elbow point needs to be stopped if you want to permanently alleviate the pain. If you can't stop the aggravating activity, find a way to cushion the elbow while you're doing it.

Exercise

• While the bursa is neither a muscle or a tendon, it can benefit from you keeping your elbow flexible and limber. Tension in the area prevents adequate blood flow, which is how the body brings nutrients to the bursa to heal. Being flexible can also reduce the stress that the elbow experiences in daily activities.
  Along the same line, by strengthening the muscles around the elbow, you can help stabilize the joint and provide relief. Be sure that whatever exercises you do perform are not painful, particularly at the bursa location. This will only aggravate the bursa and create more problems.