Bursitis is the inflammation of a fluid-filled pouch called a bursa. Located near a joint, a bursa serves as a cushion between two bones, or between a bone and a tendon. It also helps reduce the amount of friction among all the moving parts of a joint. When a bursa becomes inflamed, it results in tenderness and swelling around the affected joint. Several different rheumatic conditions can produce bursitis.
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic systemic autoimmune disease causing inflammation in the lining of the joints. It is called a systemic illness because the inflammation affects the entire body. Rheumatoid arthritis is a painful disease that can result in severe damage to multiple joints in the body. Redness, heat and swelling in an affected joint sometimes cause the surrounding soft tissues, including the bursa, to also become swollen and inflamed. The bursa of the elbow and the heel are often affected by rheumatoid arthritis, according to the University of Washington Department of Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine.
Gout
Gout is another rheumatic condition that can bring on bursitis, states The Merck Manuals Online Medical Library. It tends to affect the bursa of the elbow and knee joints. Gout is caused by a high amount of uric acid in the blood, which causes uric acid crystals to accumulate in the joints. Gout usually strikes the joint of the big toe, but it can also cause pain and inflammation in the ankle, knee, wrist and elbow. The symptoms of gout often occur suddenly, with swelling and extreme tenderness in one or more joints. After an attack of gout, symptoms may never appear again, or they might return repeatedly. Gout can become a chronic condition that results in damage to the joint and surrounding tissues.
Ankylosing Spondylitis
The inflammatory effects of ankylosing spondylitis and the resulting damage to the joints sometimes lead to bursitis, according to the Arthritis Foundation. This chronic autoimmune disease causes arthritis in the spine but may also affect the shoulders, hips and knees. Over time, inflammation in the spine can cause the vertebrae to fuse together. Ankylosing spondylitis is a systemic illness that can also affect the eyes, heart, lungs and nervous system.
