Shoulder Bursitis Treatments

Once your medical professional has diagnosed your condition, they will be able to recommend the most effective treatment for your shoulder injury. There are a variety of options available depending on the severity of your injury.

Inflammation, one of the first symptoms of shoulder damage, is normally a result of overuse of an area on your shoulder, a traumatic injury to your shoulder, rotator cuff tendonitis/bursitis, a rotator cuff impingement or a rotator cuff tear. The preliminary treatment for most of these conditions generally starts with non-operative options. Surgery is normally not required for bursitis, however if you fail to see improvement with the conservative treatments, your physician may recommend surgery to drain the extra fluid from the bursa or to remove the bursa completely.

Non-Surgical Shoulder Bursitis Treatment options

Your initial treatment should involve decreasing any swelling, relieving any pain and stress on the shoulder, correcting any biomechanical dysfunction, and then restoring strength and mobility to your injured shoulder. It is also very important to follow any instructions you receive from your physician.

To decrease inflammation and relieve pain for a chronic or diagnosed shoulder bursitis, adhere to the URICE philosophy within the first 48 - 72 hours:

Ultrasound around your injured shoulder for 5 minutes, 3 times per day. This is best accomplished with a personal, therapeutic ultrasound device.

Rest your arm and limit your overhead activity (if you are able to move your arm)

Ice the area 2-3 times/day for approximately 15 - 20 minutes at a time (do not apply ice directly on your skin, rather wrap it in a cloth or towel). or better yet a cold gel pack that molds to your body.

Compress the area if possible by adding light pressure to minimize swelling (make sure the compress is snug; if too tight it could cause numbness, tingling or more pain).

Elevate the injured area above chest level to relieve the pressure from swelling and allow fluid to drain from the injured part.

If you do not have access to ultrasound therapy or you have experienced an acute injury and/or have not been diagnosed, adhere to the RICE philosophy within the first 48 - 72 hours.

Ultrasound therapy is a great therapeutic option to decrease inflammation, pain and soft tissue (muscle, connective and nerve tissue) damage experienced with shoulder bursitis and other shoulder injuries. This can be received using a portable, home ultrasound device (self-administered) or by seeing a physiotherapist. The treatment is easy, painless, and generally requires between 5 - 10 minutes. It is based on a form of deep heat therapy which is generated through high frequency sound waves (that we can not hear). These waves send vibrations deep into your body and raise the temperature of your soft tissue. The waves are delivered through a hand held transducer and medicinal conductive gel that are used together in a slow, circular motion on your skin over the injured area. You may experience a slight tingling or warm sensation during the process as a result of the gel; this enhances the therapeutic effects of ultrasound (Phonophoresis).