Reducing the inflammation is the first step in treating shoulder bursitis. Avoid doing the things that cause pain, such as reaching or stretching beyond your comfort zone. Inflammation can also be treated with anti-inflammatory medications such as Motrin or Advil, among many others. These drugs help reduce the swelling and pain.
For many patients, a few weeks of these measures will be enough to treat shoulder bursitis. After the pain is gone, simple exercises or physical therapy may help you return to normal, pain-free activities.
If the symptoms don't go away, the next step is usually a cortisone injection, or steroid shot, into the swollen area. Cortisone is a powerful drug that treats swelling, not pain. If your initial symptoms are significant, your doctor may give you a cortisone injection on your first visit. The most significant downside is that cortisone injections may weaken tendons. Repeated cortisone injections should be considered with care.
Surgery is sometimes needed to treat shoulder bursitis. The surgical procedure is called a subacromial decompression. This can be done using a small incision with a special, minimally invasive probe called an arthroscope (arthroscopic subacrominal decompression). During the surgery, the inflamed bursa, some of the bone and any spurs are removed to create a larger space for the rotator cuff tendons. The doctors at the Cedars-Sinai Orthopaedic Center can discuss whether this is an option for you.