Top Homeopathic Medicines for Elbow Bursitis  

Elbow bursitis also known as olecranon bursitis refers to inflammation of the olecranon bursa resulting in swelling, redness and pain at the tip of the elbow. It is also known by few other names such as popeye’s elbow, baker’s elbow and student’s elbow. Homeopathic medicines for elbow bursitis are very effective to treat the condition for long-term relief. 

Homeopathic Medicines for Elbow Bursitis    

Homeopathic medicines are effective for both recent as well as long standing cases of elbow bursitis. These medicines bring excellent recovery by treating the root cause behind it. They help in halting its further progression and reducing the inflammation of the olecranon bursa. It works wonderfully to reduce the swelling around the elbow. They also bring significant reduction in pain, tenderness and stiffness at the elbow tip. Cases of bursitis either from known causes like arising from trauma, blow, fall, repeated strain on elbow, from joint inflammation, from an infection or unknown cause (idiopathic) both can be treated with these medicines based on the signs and symptoms. These medicines helps to bring great recovery and being of natural origin doesn’t carry any risk of side effects.

1. Arnica – When it Follows Trauma/Injury

Arnica is prepared from plant Arnica Montana having common name leopard’s – bane and fallkraut. This plant belongs to family compositae. Arnica is very effective medicine for elbow bursitis when it follows trauma, injury, a blow or a fall on the elbow tip. In cases needing it there is pain and swelling in the elbow. Elbow is also sore, bruised. With this there is great fear to touch the elbow from pain. Arnica helps in recovery from injury and reduce inflammation of bursa. It also relieves pain and swelling at the elbow tip .  

2. Apis Mellifica – To Reduce Swelling

Apis Mellifica is an excellent medicine for treating cases of inflammation of bursa. It helps to reduce swelling in these cases. Persons needing it complain of sharp, burning and shooting along with swelling at the tip of elbow.

3. Rhus Tox – For Pain and Stiffness of Elbow

Rhus Tox is a leading medicine to reduce pain and stiffness of elbow. In cases needing it there is elbow pain that may be tearing or drawing in nature. The pain may sometimes extend down to the wrist. Most times the pain gets worse at rest and there is relief by movement. With this the elbow feels stiff and tense.  Persons needing it may be suffering from arthritis (inflammation of joints). It is also top listed medicine when a blow or putting strain at elbow for long causes the concern.

4. Bryonia – For Pain and Swelling of Elbow

Bryonia is prepared from the root of the plant Bryonia alba commonly known by name of white Bryony and wild hops. This plant belongs to the family cucurbitaceae. It is well indicated where pain and swelling of the elbow is marked. Redness and heat is also present with it. Pain is mostly stitching, shooting type where it is required. There is worsening of the pain from movement of the elbow.

5. Ruta – From Injuries, Blows

This medicine is prepared from plant Ruta graveolens commonly called garden rue. This plant belongs to the family rutaceae. Like Arnica, its use is also considered when the complaint arises from injury, blows over the elbow tip. The pain is usually sore, bruised, dull or tearing in nature. With this the elbow may also be stiff.  

6. Bellis Perennis – When Inflammation Follows Injury or Repeated Straining

This medicine is prepared from plant ‘The Daisy’ that belongs to family compositae. This medicine is also indicated when the condition appears from injury or repeated strains on the elbow. Persons needing it have aching, sore bruised pains along with marked swelling.

7. Silicea – With Excessive Swelling of Elbow

Silicea is very beneficial to manage cases with excessive swelling of the elbow. With this pain in the elbow is also there. The pain may be tearing or stinging type. Slightest touch and motion tends to worsen the complaint. In cases where pus has formed from infection, Silicea is an ideal medicine to treat it.

8. Causticum – To Manage Pain in Elbow

Causticum is a useful medicine to manage pain in the elbow. Cases needing it may have drawing, pressing or sharp pain in the elbow. The pain may worsen at night time. The relief may be noted by warm application over the elbow. 

9. Spongia – Also to Relieve Pain

Spongia is indicated to relieve pain over the elbow. For using it the pain varies highly. It may be stitching, pressing, boring, cramping, tearing or throbbing type. The pain tends to worsen on motion. Bending the arm also worsen the pain in cases requiring this medicine.

10. Merc Sol – For Swollen Elbow Tip

Its use is made when there is swelling at the elbow tip. With this redness over the back of the elbow may be there. This area may also be warm to touch.

11. Calcarea Carb – When Stiffness of Elbows is Present

Calcarea Carb is suitable to manage stiffness of elbows in such cases. Along with this pain is present in the elbow mainly tearing in nature. The pain may radiate from elbow to wrist soon on holding anything.

What is bursa and olecranon bursa?

Bursa is a small sac filled with viscous lubricating fluid located around the joint where muscles and tendons glide over the bones . It helps to reduce friction caused by muscles and tendons moving against skin and bones and allows free smooth movement of joints. There are around 160 bursae in the human body. One among them is Olecranon  bursa that is located between the skin and the pointed bony tip of the elbow (olecranon). Inflammation of this olecranon bursa is known as elbow / olecranon bursitis. When olecranon bursa gets inflamed, it gets filled with extra fluid causing pain and swelling. 

Elbow bursitis – Signs and Symptoms

1. Swelling over elbow tip

Mainly in these cases there appears swelling over the tip of the elbow. Swelling is most of the time the first sign observed in such cases. The swelling can appear suddenly in some cases while in other cases it appears gradually. The swelling can be slight or excessive to the point that restricts movement of the elbow.

2. Pain

As swelling progresses the bursa starts to get stretched which tends to  initiate pain in the elbow. The intensity of pain varies from case to case. The pain can also radiate from the elbow to the rest of the arm. People usually have worsening of pain from movement or pressure.

3. Tenderness 

The elbow may also be tender to touch along with above features.

4. Stiffness 

Stiffness in elbow is yet another symptom that a person faces along with swelling, pain and tenderness

5. Redness and warmth

Skin over the elbow tip may become red and appear warm top touch in cases where the bursa is infected. Fever may also arise in case of infected bursitis

6. Pus

Occasionally if the infected bursa open itself then it can start to drain pus that may be white  or yellow

Causes 

1. Trauma  

Any trauma, hard blow like from accidental hitting on wall or fall on the back of elbow can lead to swelling of the olecranon bursa. 

2. Repeated, Prolonged pressure

Leaning on the elbow tip against a hard surface for long periods of time can irritate the bursa and cause its inflammation. The bursitis from this reason develops over several months. The chance of developing bursitis from this reason is higher if a person has some job like computer work where they rest their elbow for long periods of time over the computer table or playing some sports that involves prolonged leaning on the elbow. Sometimes occupations of people that involves leaning on their elbows for long also makes one prone to develop it, like plumbers, air conditioning technicians 

3. Infection

Less commonly it can arise from an infection. It can arise from a cut, break, over skin at elbow tip like from a punctured wound or an insect bite that allows bacteria to enter the bursa sac causing infection. This will lead to build up of extra fluid in bursa with swelling, redness and pain. If the infection is not treated well in time then the the fluid may turn to pus. 

4. Few Medical conditions

Some of the medical conditions like rheumatoid arthritis (autoimmune disorder causing joint inflammation with pain, swelling and stiffness of joints)  and gout (inflammation of joints from high uric acid levels) raises the chances of developing olecranon bursitis.

5. Idiopathic

Many times no reason can be found behind it, and such cases are termed idiopathic.

Pathophysiology

Inflammation of the bursa causes its lining to secrete the fluid in bursa cavity in a much more quantity than is usually required in a normal condition. This excessive fluid finding no way to escape from there results in accumulation of it in the sac itself causing inflammation of bursa. This leads to swelling over the bony tip of the elbow that can further lead to pain and tenderness.