oes your shoulder hurt from hammering, your elbow from tennis or your knees from running? There's a likely explanation for joint pains such as these. Bursitis. Your body has about 160 bursae. Bursae are sacs of fluid that cushion the movement of bones, tendons and muscles near your joints. Bursae also cushion from excessive pressure such as when you sit for long periods of time. Most of the time, they do a heroic job of protecting your bones and joints from pain. But, especially if your activities involve lots of repetitive movement, the bursae can become inflamed. Inflammation also can be caused by medical conditions such as staph infection, arthritis, gout or tuberculosis. When the bursae become inflamed, pain results. The shoulder is the most common site for bursitis pain. But it's also common in the heel, elbow, knee and hip. Fortunately, most bursitis will disappear in a week or two. If you suffer from bursitis, try the following treatments. If none work, see your doctor. An injection of a corticosteroid drug into the bursae may relieve your pain. Your doctor also can recommend some exercises that strengthen and stretch the muscles supporting the affected joint. Rest the affected area for a few days. When you start using it again, it may be a good idea to begin range of motion exercises. Take over-the-counter anti-inflammatory agents such as ibuprofen, naproxen sodium or aspirin. Don't take these on an on-going basis without consulting your doctor, however. They can cause gastrointestinal problems such as ulcers. Keep the area elevated as much as possible if the pain is in your legs. Supporting the area with a pillow also may help. Use a cold pack on the area (20 minutes at a time every several hours) for at least the first 24 to 48 hours of pain. After that, use heat treatments on the area. Avoid prolonged standing or sitting (especially on hard surfaces). Strength train after the pain and inflammation are gone. Strong muscles protect your joints. Maintain good posture. Leaning on your elbows or putting undue pressure on your shoulder while you lean on your elbows can cause unnecessary pain. Take frequent breaks from repetitive movement. © Your HealthStyle, 1999.