A bursa is a small, thin, sac-like structure that sits between bones and soft tissues to keep them from rubbing against each other. If your bones were to rub against your soft tissues, the bone would quickly wear right through the tissue.
When bursae function like they should, you don’t notice them. However, if there’s significant joint overuse and undue friction where the bursae are located, they can become irritated and inflamed, triggering a condition known as bursitis. While bursitis can develop anywhere, the shoulder joint is a common place for it.
Our team, led by orthopedic experts Anand Shah, MD, Mehul Taylor, MD, and Adam Amir, DO, at Valley Orthopedic Institute in Palmdale and Ridgecrest, California, knows that shoulder bursitis can be incredibly painful and take a toll on your mobility.
So, in this month’s blog, we discuss how to reduce your shoulder pain at home and how we can help address your bursitis with our in-office treatments as well.
Shoulder bursitis happens when the bursae in your shoulder become swollen and inflamed. There are three types of shoulder bursitis: chronic, infected, and acute.
Chronic bursitis is the most common and occurs due to repetitive stress on the shoulder bursae. This can come from anything that requires you to use your shoulder repeatedly, such as sports, gardening, wood-working, and playing musical instruments. Certain conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and diabetes, can also make you more prone to developing bursitis.
Infected bursitis happens when bacteria from an infection, such as a staph infection, enter the bursae and infect them, causing the subsequent bursitis. Acute bursitis is the least common and occurs due to a traumatic injury.
If you develop shoulder bursitis, you can experience the following symptoms:
Depending on the type of bursitis you have, you may also have muscle weakness, joint swelling, and warmth around your shoulder.
Because shoulder bursitis is often caused by increased inflammation and swelling that happens over time, resting your shoulder and performing some at-home remedies may be enough to treat it.
We recommend starting with these five methods:
If these aren’t effective, in-office treatments with our team may be needed.
If your bursitis is from an infection or an acute injury, or your chronic bursitis isn’t responding to at-home treatments, professional care is needed. Our team at Valley Orthopedic Institute offers physical therapy and regenerative therapies for expert healing and pain management during healing.
To get started with treatment for your shoulder bursitis, schedule an appointment by calling your nearest office location or using our online booking feature today.
