“The safest way to celebrate the new year is to celebrate at home with the people who live with you or virtually with friends and family. Staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others.”

Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

“Starting off, rules regarding indoor parties are the same as they have been all year: they’re a bad idea. says that we still need to avoid large parties indoors.  Including this virus doesn’t have any opinions, it doesn’t care if you’re gathering for a holiday; All it’s looking for are pathways to spread itself.”  Dr. Gohil says.

Dr. Gohil – a medical director as well as a professor within the University of California Irvine’s Health System,

“Bursitis is inflammation or irritation of a bursa sac. You have these sacs all over your body. They’re filled with fluid that helps ease rubbing and friction between tissues like bone, muscle, tendons, and skin. Bursitis is common around major joints like your shoulder, elbow, hip, or knee.”

WebMD

Common areas you experience the diagnosis:

Shoulder bursae

Elbow bursae

Hip  & Back bursae

Knee Bursae

What bursitis is?

Bursitis (bur-SY-tis) is a painful condition that affects the small, fluid-filled sacs — called bursae (bur-SEE) — that cushion the bones, tendons and muscles near your joints. Bursitis occurs when bursae become inflamed.

The most common locations for bursitis are in the shoulder, elbow and hip. But you can also have bursitis by your knee, heel and the base of your big toe. Bursitis often occurs near joints that perform frequent repetitive motion.

Treatment typically involves resting the affected joint and protecting it from further trauma. In most cases, bursitis pain goes away within a few weeks with proper treatment, but recurrent flare-ups of bursitis are common.

If you have bursitis, the affected joint may experience the following symptoms:

• Feel achy or stiff
• Hurt more when you move it or press on it
• Look swollen and red

When to see a doctor

Consult your doctor if you have:

• Disabling joint pain
• Pain for more than one to two weeks
• Excessive swelling, redness, bruising or a rash in the affected area
• Sharp or shooting pain, especially when you exercise or exert yourself
• A fever going to a systemic infection from localized where the bursitis is probably.

The most common causes of bursitis are repetitive motions or positions that irritate the bursae around a joint. Examples include:

• Throwing a baseball or lifting something over your head repeatedly
• Leaning on your elbows for long periods
• Extensive kneeling for tasks such as laying carpet or scrubbing floors
• Prolonged sitting, particularly on hard surfaces

Other causes include injury or trauma to the affected area, inflammatory arthritis such as rheumatoid arthritis, gout, and infection.

Anyone can develop bursitis, but certain factors may increase your risk:

Age. The occurrence of bursitis becomes more common with aging.

Occupations or hobbies. If your work or hobby requires repetitive motion or pressure on particular bursae, your risk of developing bursitis increases. Examples include carpet laying, tile setting, gardening, painting and playing a musical instrument.

Other medical conditions. Certain systemic diseases and conditions — such as rheumatoid arthritis, gout and diabetes — increase your risk of developing bursitis.

Doctors can often diagnose bursitis based on a medical history and physical exam but if further testing needed the M.D. will do the following:

Imaging tests. X-ray images can’t positively establish the diagnosis of bursitis, but they can help to exclude other causes of your discomfort. Ultrasound or MRI may be used if your bursitis can’t easily be diagnosed by a physical exam alone.

Lab tests. Your doctor may perform blood tests or an analysis of fluid from the inflamed bursa to pinpoint the cause of your joint inflammation and pain.

Types of treatment:

Bursitis treatment usually involves conservative measures, such as rest, ice and taking a pain reliever. If conservative measures don’t work, treatment may include:

• Medication. If the inflammation in your bursa is caused by an infection, your doctor might prescribe an antibiotic.
• Therapy. Your doctor may recommend physical therapy or exercises to strengthen the muscles in the affected area to ease pain and prevent recurrence.
• Injections. Your doctor may inject a corticosteroid drug into the bursa to relieve inflammation in your shoulder or hip. This treatment generally brings rapid pain relief and, in many cases, one injection is all you need.
• Assistive device. Temporary use of a walking cane or other device will help relieve pressure on the affected area.
• Surgery. Sometimes an inflamed bursa must be surgically drained, but only rarely is surgical removal of the affected bursa necessary.

Measures you can take to relieve the pain of bursitis include:

• Rest and immobilize the affected area
• Apply ice to reduce swelling
• Take an over-the-counter medication, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) or naproxen sodium (Aleve, others), to relieve pain and reduce inflammation
• Cushion your knees if you sleep on your side by placing a small pillow between your legs
• Avoid elbow pressure by not leaning or placing your weight on your elbows to rise from a lying position or if taking long drives and leaning on the Right elbow or Left elbow on the door or console.

Ways you can prevent Bursitis:

While not all types of bursitis can be prevented, you can reduce your risk and the severity of flare-ups by changing cushioning your areas of where bursitis can take place:

• Using kneeling pads. Use some type of padding to reduce the pressure on your knees if your job or hobby requires a lot of kneeling.
• Lifting properly. Bend your knees when you lift. Failing to do so puts extra stress on the bursae in your hips.
• Wheeling heavy loads. Carrying heavy loads puts stress on the bursae in your shoulders. Use a dolly or a wheeled cart instead.
• Taking frequent breaks. Alternate repetitive tasks with rest or other activities.
• Walking around. Try not to sit in one position too long, especially on hard surfaces, because that puts pressure on the bursae in your hips and buttocks.
• Maintaining a healthy weight. Being overweight places more stress on your joints.
• Exercising. Strengthening your muscles can help protect your affected joint.
• Warming up and stretching before strenuous activities to protect your joints from injury.

“Heart and blood vessel disease (also called heart disease) includes numerous problems, many of which are related to a process called atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis is a condition that develops when a substance called plaque builds up in the walls of the arteries. This buildup narrows the arteries, making it harder for blood to flow through. If a blood clot forms, it can block the blood flow. This can cause a heart attack or stroke.”

heart.org

TO ALL  FRIENDS, FAMILY and THOSE IN THE WORLD:

Here are 4 tips to help manage holiday stress:

1. Take care of your body and mind. This can include regular exercise, adequate sleep, a healthy diet, and relaxation practices. You may want to combine some of these habits for optimal self-care. For example, after a workout stretch your muscles while practicing deep breathing techniques. Eat a nutritious meal while practicing mindfulness of the moment. Get to bed at a decent hour and practice progressive muscle relaxation to help you wind down and fall asleep relaxed.

2. Identify your priorities and establish boundaries. Consider what is most important and valuable to you during the holidays and keep those as priority. This will require you to set boundaries around your priorities. Say no to “lesser” priorities, and ask for help when needed. For example, if exercising regularly is a priority, set boundaries around your time to ensure you’re able to get to the gym on a consistent basis. Similarly, if you want to spend quality time with loved ones you don’t see often, then you may have to say no to other responsibilities. This will keep you from feeling like you’re being pulled in all directions. It may also help reduce the risk of feeling resentment or disappointment once the holidays are over.

3. Be realistic. Assess your expectations of yourself and others. Try not to expect the holidays to go perfectly, and realize that you do not have to be perfect. You don’t have to prepare an ultra-fancy meal or give the perfect gift to every friend and family member. Practice some relaxation skills (mentioned above) to help clear your mind and determine what’s most realistic and what’s not. If family conflict has popped up in past holidays, don’t expect there to be perfect peace and harmony this year. Instead, plan ahead for your healthy response to conflict that may arise and be prepared to set boundaries if needed.

4. Cultivate gratitude. There is growing research on the benefits of gratitude, particularly on physical, psychological, and relational well-being. An “attitude of gratitude,” as Dr. Robert Emmons (a leading researcher on the science of gratitude) calls it, has been linked to greater stress tolerance, increased positive emotions, better sleep, improved physical health, and healthier relationships. It can be beneficial to create a daily habit of remembering what you are thankful for. Keeping a gratitude list at the beginning or end of each day is a great way to do this. If certain well-meaning friends or family members start stretching your patience, remind yourself of why you are thankful to have them in your life.  Which at times may not be easy so walk away and get a a breath or two by taking a walk.

5.  Maintain the safety interventions needed to prevent you getting Covid19.

“The holidays will involve extra planning this year. But taking safety precautions can allow you and your family and friends to celebrate and minimize the risk of becoming infected with or spreading the COVID-19 virus.”

MAYO CLINCI