--- title: "Olecranon Bursitis Symptoms and Treatment | Sutter Health" description: "What is olecranon bursitis and how is it treated?" url: "/ask-an-expert/answers/olecranon-bursitis-symptoms-treatment-1051061168" --- 1. Home / 2. Olecranon Bursitis Symptoms and Treatment # Olecranon Bursitis Symptoms and Treatment * * * Medically reviewed by - Joshua C. Richards, M.D. ## Question What is olecranon bursitis and how is it treated? ## Answer The olecranon bursa is a fluid-filled sac that acts like a cushion to protect the bony protuberance on the back of the elbow. When it is inflamed and swollen it can get amazingly large, as it can accommodate a lot of fluid. It can be drained, but often fills back up. The best long-term solution is compression wrapping with something like an ace bandage or neoprene elbow sleeve and avoiding direct contact on hard surfaces. The olecranon bursa can get infected and that is a potentially serious problem. If any signs of infection occur, one should seek immediate attention. ## Explore related topics Bones, joints and musclesHand, Wrist, Elbow ## Meet our care team Joshua C. Richards, M.D. Orthopedic Surgery Hand Surgery ## Related questions View all questions - Health Q&A ### Numbness and Tingling in the Hands I wake up with my right hand numb. My thumb and middle finger seem the worst. It takes awhile for the numbness to wear off. I work in a grocery store, so I'm always on my feet and on the register. What should I do? - Health Q&A ### Recurrence of a Ganglion Cyst I had wrist surgery in January for a ganglion cyst on the inside of my wrist. It was painful and affected my quality of life. It was healing well until six weeks ago. The cyst has returned and is causing the same symptoms prior to surgery. What can I do? - Health Q&A ### Swollen Elbow (Olecranon Bursitis) My right elbow has been swollen for a few days, and it feels like it’s full of fluid. I don’t remember injuring it, and I don’t really feel any pain. I tried icing it, but the swelling did not go down. What could this be, and should I see my doctor? - Health Q&A ### Treatment for Ganglion Cyst I have had a lump on my left wrist for over a year. It was bigger at one time and now is small. Sometimes in protrudes through the skin. Should I be worried about this? It doesn't hurt. - Health Q&A ### ACL Tear or Arthritis in Knee? I had an X-ray and MRI on my right knee for severe pain. The radiologist said there was an ACL tear, but my doctor attributed it to arthritis. I don't have swelling and the pain is intermittent. If it were arthritis, wouldn't I have other symptoms? View all questions ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Sutter Health","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org","logo":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/static/images/sutter-health-logo.svg","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"2200 River Plaza Drive","addressLocality":"Sacramento","addressRegion":"CA","postalCode":"95833","addressCountry":"US"},"areaServed":{"@type":"AdministrativeArea","name":"California"},"sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/SutterHealth","https://www.instagram.com/sutterhealth/","https://x.com/SutterHealth","https://www.youtube.com/sutterhealth","https://www.linkedin.com/company/sutter-health","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutter_Health"]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/olecranon-bursitis-symptoms-treatment-1051061168#breadcrumblist","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Olecranon Bursitis Symptoms and Treatment"}]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalWebPage","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/olecranon-bursitis-symptoms-treatment-1051061168#medicalwebpage","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/olecranon-bursitis-symptoms-treatment-1051061168","name":"Olecranon Bursitis Symptoms and Treatment","description":"The olecranon bursa is a fluid-filled sac that acts like a cushion to protect the bony protuberance on the back of the elbow.","inLanguage":"en-US","medicalAudience":{"@type":"MedicalAudience","audienceType":"Patient"},"isPartOf":{"@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/olecranon-bursitis-symptoms-treatment-1051061168#breadcrumblist"},"mainEntity":{"@type":"Question","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/olecranon-bursitis-symptoms-treatment-1051061168#question","name":"Olecranon Bursitis Symptoms and Treatment","text":"What is olecranon bursitis and how is it treated?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/ask-an-expert/answers/olecranon-bursitis-symptoms-treatment-1051061168#answer","text":"The olecranon bursa is a fluid-filled sac that acts like a cushion to protect the bony protuberance on the back of the elbow. When it is inflamed and swollen it can get amazingly large, as it can accommodate a lot of fluid. It can be drained, but often fills back up. The best long-term solution is compression wrapping with something like an ace bandage or neoprene elbow sleeve and avoiding direct contact on hard surfaces. The olecranon bursa can get infected and that is a potentially serious problem. 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