Bursitis of the Wrist
(Ulnar and Radial Bursitis)
As you already know, the wrist is constantly in motion throughout the day. Simple everyday activities such as getting dressed, tying shoes, opening a door and preparing dinner would be very difficult to do without having an ability to move the wrist. A wrist is made up a a collection of eight small bones and many tendons, ligaments and a couple bursae.
The bursae of the hand are found at the distinct synovial sheaths and the two main bursae are the ulnar bursa and the radial bursa. The ulnar bursa covers the tendons of the index, middle and ring fingers. The radial bursa covers the thumb tendon and extends to the wrist crease. Infection in the radial bursa and ulna bursa is known as a "horseshoe abscess".
The extensive use of the wrist puts it at a considerable risk for injury; athletes are at an even higher risk - 9% of all athletic injuries involve the wrist.
Symptoms and Causes
If you have wrist bursitis you may be experiencing
- Pain in the wrist especially after the wrist is bent back and weight is puton it
- A small lump or swelling in the top of the wrist
Causes of wrist bursitis include sports with throwing or wrist twisting movements, such as baseball, badminton, and tennis. Repetitive activity (Repetitive Stress Injury) is also a major cause of wrist bursitis.
Wrist Bursitis Prevention
Modify your activities that cause bursitis or reduce the pressure and stress on your joints. Wear a sling or brace to support the injured area.
Take breaks while working out or doing repetitive tasks.
Stretch and strengthen! Improve the strength and flexibility of the muscles, ligaments and tendons with these wrist exercises.
Wrist Flexion Exercise
Hold a can or hammer handle in your hand with your palm facing up. Bend your wrist upward. Slowly lower the weight and return to the starting position. Do three sets of 10. Gradually increase the weight of the can or weight you are holding.
Wrist Extension Exercise
Hold a soup can or hammer handle in your hand with your palm facing down. Slowly bend your wrist upward. Slowly lower the weight down into the starting position. Do three sets of 10. Gradually increase the weight of the object you are holding.
Grip Strengthening
Squeeze a rubber ball and hold for five seconds. Do three sets of 10.
Treating Bursitis in Your Wrist
The most important factor in healing bursitis is resting your wrist. 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 your wrist, correcting any biomechanical dysfunction such as a bone spur, treating scar tissue, and then restoring strength and movement in your wrist.
For non-infectious bursitis, the preliminary treatment starts with non-operative options such as ultrasound thereapy and cold therapy. 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. 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.
Freezie Wrap® Cold Therapy
To decrease inflammation and relieve the pain of wrist bursitis doctor's recommend cold therapy.
Applying cold to your inflamed radial or ulnar bursa will help decrease the swelling and redness around it. Cold therapy will also help to numb the pain in your wrist and help to control the inflammation. In addition, the deep cooling effect provided by the Wrist Freezie Wrap® reduces tissue damage.
The Wrist 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 bursa can be done as needed throughout the day. The Wrist Freezie Wrap® can be used to apply cold in a safe, convenient and effective way. The gel pack sits gently over the inflamed bursa to reduce swelling and redness.
The wrap is soft and adjustable which makes it comfortable to wear and allows you to control 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 wrist is the first step in treating your bursitis. Then begin ultrasound therapy to continue the healing process.
Click Here to learn more about Freezie Wrap® ColdCure Technology®
Ultrasound Therapy
Ultrasound has been used by physical therapists and chiropractors for years to treat bursitis. By applying ultrasound therapy to your 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 wrist such as carpal tunnel syndrome, sprains, arthritis, tendonitis, 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 the inflammation subsides and your tissue heals. This tough, inflexible 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, softening the tough tissue to improve elasticity for more complete healing 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 wrist. 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 wrist bursa back to normal.
Unfortunately, when you are suffering from bursitis in your wrist it can be painful to lift a cup or type. When you limit movement in your wrist because of the pain 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 irritating 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 wrist the rest it needs.
The Wrist 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 wrist, more than your body would ever be able to generate on it's own. This gives your body the boost it needs to continue the reconditioning process. The healing energy reaches into your wrist to speed tissue repair, whisk away the toxins and dead cells, and rejuvenate the tissue in your wrist for improved elasticity.
Click Here to learn more about how Inferno Wrap® BFST® works
With these 3 easy therapies, you will notice significantly reduced pain and an incredible improvement in your wrist 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. Most of our customers find they no longer require NSAIDS once they begin using cold therapy, ultrasound and/or BFST® to treat their pain and heal their bursa.
Please be aware that this information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider before starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
| 
