6Medical Treatments for Shoulder Bursitis
If home remedies do not work, a doctor would prescribe some stronger pain medications. Steroids can also be injected to the bursa to help reduce inflammation. In more serious cases, surgery may be suggested for shoulder bursitis. However, it is quite rare to use this treatment option. Most healthcare providers only turn to surgery as the last resort when bursitis have been occurring without improvements for 6 to 12 months. If you get surgery for bursitis, a doctor tends to do it arthroscopically, meaning that small incisions will be made in the skin for inserting surgical instruments. After that, damaged tissues will be removed. [7]
Recovery Time
When physical activity is the main cause of shoulder bursitis, the condition can be treated in a couple of days. It may need more time for full recovery when bursitis occurs due to muscle overuse. In that cases, recovery time may be a few weeks or even longer if you are still using the shoulder joint. Shoulder bursitis would take longer to heal when other shoulder issues, such as bone problems or tendinitis, are still present. Some cases may become chronic if medical conditions are the underlying causes. [8]
