Trochanteric Bursitis (Bursitis of the Hip)

In North America, it is estimated that over 60% of the causes of hip pain are caused by Trochanteric Bursitis.

The trochanteric bursa rests between the bony area on the outside of the hip (the greater trochanter) and the illotibial band (IT band) that passes over this bone. When this bursa becomes inflamed (for any reason noted below), every time the IT band moves over this bone, pain will result.

Pain may radiate down the outside (lateral) of the thigh. As the IT band is moved during each step, many sufferers of hip bursitis find it extremely painful to walk. In some cases, patients require the use of a wheelchair.

Causes of Trochanteric Bursitis

There are a multitude of ways to contract bursitis, but fundamentally, the cause is from one of the following.

Trauma (Acute or Chronic)

Trauma causes inflammation of the trochanteric bursa, resulting in a widening of the blood vessels in the bursa. This widening allows proteins and various fluids into the bursae that are not supposed to be there, resulting in a reactive swelling from the bursae. Until these foreign materials leave the bursa or are broken down by the bursae defense system, the swelling and pain will remain.

Acute Trauma means a direct blow to the hip either from contusions from falls or sports contact injuries. This can happen when a patient falls onto their upper thigh, causing blood to leak into the bursa and cause swelling and pain.

Chronic Trauma will occur if there is mild trauma to the hip that occurs repetitively. This is more common in athletes (running sports) and hikers, whose excessive and frequent movement of the tendon over this bursa can incite hip bursitis.

Post Surgical

Patients who have had total hip replacement surgery or hip fracture surgery often complain of pain over the outside of the hip. Often, this pain is due to irritation of the bursa, is is a common cause of hip bursitis. Trochanteric bursitis is also known to occur as a complication of arthroscopic surgery of the hip, though it is uncommon. (Trochanteric Bursitis due to Arthroscopic Surgery of the Hip is estimated at an occurrence rate of 1.4% of all cases.)

Crystal Deposits (Caused from Gout and/or Rheumatoid Arthritis)

Some people with diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, gout or scleroderma may contract bursitis from crystalline deposits in the joints. Although not much is known about how this process happens, it is common knowledge that uric acid is a normal byproduct of daily metabolism. If your are diagnosed with gout then you are unable to break down this uric acid properly, leading to crystalization of this excess acid which deposits in joints'a painful symptom that can often lead to bursitis.

There are a number of things that can indirectly cause bursitis such as repetitive use or overuse from work or sporting activities, acute injuries and aging. Over the years your muscles will start to lose their mass and strength, your tissues will lose their elasticity and degenerate, making you more susceptible to injury. Weakened muscles and/or tendons or injuries to your hip can instigate bursitis. You are at increased risk of suffering from this condition if your work and/or lifestyle require frequent and or prolonged walking or running.

Treatments for Hip Bursitis

Relieving the symptoms of bursitis initially focuses on keeping the pressure off the bursa. Surgery may be required if your bursa irritation is a result of a bone formation problem, such as a bone spur. If your bursitis is caused by an infection (septic bursitis), the doctor will probably drain the bursa sac with a needle and prescribe antibiotics to treat the infection. For non-infectious bursitis, the preliminary treatment starts with non-operative options such as ultrasound thereapy and cold therapy.

The most important factor in healing bursitis is resting your hip. This can be difficult when you have to carry on with daily activities, but resting whenever you can is recommended. During your recovery you will probably have to modify or avoid the activities that stress your bursa until your pain and inflammation settle.

Treatments should involve decreasing swelling, relieving stress on the hip joint, correcting any biomechanical dysfunction (uneven leg length, bone spur, etc.), treating scar tissue, and then restoring strength and movement in your leg and hip. Blood flow stimulation therapy (BFST^®) is recommended once inflammation has been calmed to heal the bursa and surrounding tissue faster and reduce the risk of bursitis returning.

Freezie Wrap^® Cold Therapy

To decrease inflammation and relieve the pain of trochanteric bursitis doctor's recommend cold therapy.

Applying cold to your inflamed bursa will help decrease the swelling and redness around it. Cold therapy will also help to numb the pain in your acetabular joint and help to control the inflammation. In addition, the deep cooling effect provided by the Hip Freezie Wrap^® reduces tissue damage.

The Hip Freezie Wrap^® uses a supercharged cooling gel pack, that chills in the fridge, not in the freezer like ice or other freezer packs, giving you deep cold therapy without the risk of 'cold burns' or cryoburn.

Cooling your inflamed trochanteric bursa as needed throughout the day is recommended. The Hip Freezie Wrap^® can be used to apply cold in a safe, convenient and effective way - and the gel pack is reusable. The gel pack sits gently over the inflamed bursa to reduce swelling and redness.

The wrap is soft and adjustable so it fits your body properly, without irritating the bursa, and allows you to adjust the compression. This is important when treating an inflamed bursa because too much pressure can cause you further pain. You control how much pressure the bursa receives so you can benefit from the compression to hold the cold where you need it, without increasing your pain.

Applying cold to your tender bursa and hip joint is the first step in treating your bursitis. Then begin ultrasound therapy to continue the healing process.

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Ultrasound Therapy

Ultrasound has been used by physical therapists and chiropractors for years to treat bursitis. By applying ultrasound therapy to your sore trochanteric bursa you can reduce the inflammation caused by the fluid that has built up.

In addition, ultrasound therapy will treat any other soft tissue conditions that you may be experiencing in your hip such as iliotibial band syndrome, osteoarthritis pain, a labrum tear and more. By treating yourself with ultrasound everyday, you are able to rid yourself of bursitis pain; this is best accomplished with a personal, therapeutic ultrasound device.

Scar tissue develops with bursitis as your damaged tissue heals. This fibrotic tissue is naturally produced instead of forming brand new healthy tissue. Scar tissue adheres to your bursa sac, tendons, ligaments, and nerves causing pain and preventing them from moving properly (this limits your range of motion, flexibility and strength). However, ultrasound therapy can treat scar tissue. The more diligent you are with your treatment and rehabilitation, the faster you will see successful results.

Ultrasound therapy is a great therapeutic option to decrease inflammation, pain and scar tissue build up experienced with bursitis and other soft tissue injuries. The treatment is easy, painless, and requires 10 minutes of your time. It is based on a form of deep thermal therapy which is generated through high frequency sound waves that reach into the cells of the tissue. These sound waves help to reduce the fluid build up in the bursa, heal any tissue damaged through trauma, reduce scar tissue, as well as reduce any crystal or calcific deposits that may have gathered in the area.

Using the MendMeShop^® Lavender Infusion Gel during your ultrasound therapy gives you 2 therapies in 1. You get the benefit of the regenerating sound waves from the ultrasound device itself AND the added bonus of the therapeutic ingredients inside the gel being delivered into the tissue where it is most effective.

Lavender Infusion Ultrasound Gel contains the natural essential oils of Bulgarian lavender, peppermint, eucalyptus, and menthol and is exclusively available from MendMeShop^®. These ingredients reduce inflammation, relieve pain and improve blood circulation to your hip bursae. 1 bottle of MendMeShop^® Lavender Infusion Ultrasound Gel comes FREE with every MendMeShop^® Ultrasound System so you get unbeatable ultrasound therapy for your bursitis.

Click here to learn more about Ultrasound Therapy.

Inferno Wrap^® Blood Flow Stimulation Therapy

Once the inflammation of your bursitis has been reduced with cold therapy and ultrasound treatments it is time to improve blood flow and improve the elasticity of your surrounding soft tissue. Your body needs a fresh supply of blood to improve the health of your tissue and get your trochanteric bursae and IT band back to normal.

Unfortunately, when you are suffering from bursitis it can be painful to even walk or lift your leg. When you limit movement in your hip the blood flow is reduced, starving your tissue of the necessary oxygen and nutrients.

The trick is to find a way to increase blood flow without causing pain and/or further inflaming the bursae. This is where blood flow stimulation therapy, or BFST^®, becomes a powerful tool.

BFST^® compliments your body's natural healing process by promoting blood flow while you give your hip the rest it needs.

The Hip Inferno Wrap^® uses a patented process to generate the same energy that is part of the sun's spectrum of light, the same energy that is necessary to all living things for optimum health. The energy emitted from the Energy Web® stimulates blood flow to your hip, more than your body would ever be able to generate on it's own, giving your body the boost it needs to continue the reconditioning process. The healing energy reaches deep into your trochanteric bursa and IT band to speed tissue repair, whisk away the toxins and dead cells, and rejuvenate your hip tissues for improved elasticity.

Click here to learn more about how BFST^® and Inferno Wraps^® work.

With these 3 easy therapies, cold therapy, ultrasound and BFST^®, you will notice significantly reduced pain and an incredible improvement in your hip pain and range of motion.

We recommend that you consult your doctor and/or physiotherapist before using any of our outstanding products, to make sure they're right for you and your condition.

Anti-Inflammatory Medications

NSAIDs, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, can be used if required to help manage your pain. However, these aren't recommended for long term use, as they can cause gastrointestinal difficulties and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. The use of cold therapy, ultrasound and BFST^® in conjunction with NSAIDs can greatly improve the effect of this medication and can help to heal quicker.

Surgical Procedures

Your doctor may aspirate your inflamed bursa. This involves removing the extra fluid that has built up with a needle. Sometimes, the fluid will be tested at a laboratory to rule out infection.

If your bursitis does not get better with conservative treatments, the bursa may be surgically removed. Usually this is done by hip arthroscopy, which is a surgical procedure where tiny incisions are made and a pencil-sized camera is inserted into the hip. A small shaver is inserted into another incision, and is used to remove the swollen bursa all together. The surgeon will then look for any damage to the hip and make repairs if necessary. This is also done to remove any bone spurs.

Recovery time for the surgery will depend on a number of different factors including your healing ability, diet, rest and how many procedures were done in your surgery.

Post-op recovery time can be reduced with the use of cold compression, ultrasound therapy, and blood flow stimulation therapy following surgery. Cold compression is recommend by doctors following surgery to treat your pain in a natural, non-addictive way and to reduce swelling. Once the incision has healed, speak with your doctor about the use of ultrasound therapy and BFST^®. BFST^® encourages more oxygen and nutrients to flow to the area to speed healing and improve the strength of the soft tissue in your hip. Using ultrasound therapy as soon as you can following your surgery will treat the scar tissue that forms as you heal. Treating scar tissue is the most important step following surgery, especially in a joint, to improve the range of motion in your hip. Leaving the scar tissue untreated can lead to stiffness, chronic hip pain, osteoarthritis or other chronic conditions.

Rehabiliation Exercise

Physical therapy is a beneficial way to restore atrophied muscles and improve strength and mobility after treating bursitis. The type of physical therapy and the duration will be dependent on the tissue damage and your symptoms. When you are treating or recovering from bursitis, it is important to ensure you do not perform any exercises that will further irritate the bursa.

Once your pain starts to diminish, a physiotherapist will set up an individualized strengthening and stretching exercise program for you to perform at home or in the gym. This will be based on your needs and abilities, and will help you return to performing your normal routines.

Individuals will often lift weights on their own, to try and build up their strength. However, in doing so, they can do more damage to their joint. It is extremely important to strengthen your muscles properly, as they may have weakened during the period of non-use. A trained therapist will help to ensure your rehabilitation process is appropriate and effective. For best, long term results use ultrasound and BFST in conjunction with physical therapy and an exercise program.

During your recovery, you may have to modify and/or eliminate any activities that cause pain or discomfort in your joint until your pain and inflammation settle, and you gain more mobility and strength. The more diligent you are with your rehabilitation, the faster you will see successful results.

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