Introduction to shoulder bursitis On both sides of your shoulder, there is a small fluid-filled sac called a bursa.. The bursa helps reduce friction between joints and bones or tendons... Inflammation of this fluid-filled sac leads to shoulder bursitis.. The reasons for such a problem can be due to some underlying diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis or excessive activity in this part of the hand. Subacromial bursitis Subacromial type is one of the main causes of shoulder pain....this condition is due to inflammation of the bursa, the sac of tissue located under the acromion of the shoulder....this condition is usually caused by repetitive overhead activities or trauma. Related content: Cause and treatment of shoulder tingling Symptoms of shoulder bursitis Feeling pain in the outer part of the shoulder is the most common symptom. In general, most people with shoulder bursitis experience such symptoms: ### Feeling of pain in the shoulder; In the early stages of this disease, patients may feel slight pain when raising their hands... This pain gradually increases over time, and eventually the pain is also felt at rest. ### increased pain after doing the activity; The pain may sometimes be worse after performing repetitive and prolonged activities in the shoulder, such as painting or playing tennis. ### causing sensitivity in the shoulder; The outer part of the shoulder may be sensitive to pressure. In addition, lying down or applying pressure to the affected area may often be uncomfortable. ### spread of pain; At the beginning of shoulder bursitis, the pain is only in the upper arm.. But with progress, pain symptoms may also be felt under the arm. ### muscle weakness; As the condition worsens, most people try not to exercise in their shoulder area, which causes muscle weakness. ### Pain when moving; As the symptoms progress and the complication worsens, the patient feels pain even when wearing clothes. ### No inflation; Unlike elbow or knee bursitis, where swelling and inflammation may be clearly visible, this is not the case with shoulder bursitis. Affected shoulder bursae are only slightly more inflamed than usual. People who suffer from this condition may also have symptoms such as fever and fatigue in addition to the symptoms mentioned. Shoulder bursitis This is the inflammation of the bursa in the shoulder, which leads to redness, pain and swelling. For more information, read the article on calcific tendonitis of the shoulder... ### Treatment of inflammation of shoulder bursitis Depending on the type of this condition, various treatment strategies are considered, including immobilization with a splint, use of ice compresses, activity modification, antibiotics or anti-inflammatory drugs, etc. Shoulder bursitis pain The pain caused by this condition may occur suddenly or gradually....Patients experience mild to severe pain....Other symptoms of this disease can be mentioned such as swelling or stiffness of the shoulder. ### Shoulder bursitis pain treatment At first, consider home methods such as resting the shoulder, using ice compresses or taking painkillers.... If the mentioned items do not work for you, take the prescribed medicines.... If this disease in the shoulder is caused by an infection, the doctor may prescribe antibiotics for you. What is the cause of shoulder bursitis? This complication can have various reasons.... The reasons we mention below are among the most common reasons that lead to shoulder bursitis: Trauma or injury to the shoulder Hitting the shoulder on a hard surface can cause bleeding and inflammation of the bursa... Even if the blood is absorbed by the body, it remains swollen. Repeated pressure on the shoulder A person's occupation also plays a role in the occurrence of this problem.. In fact, those who do frequent activities with their shoulder will be injured.. In general, people who do frequent activities in this part of their hand are susceptible to this disease. For example, these people include painters, tennis players, swimmers, etc. ### age Any person at any age may suffer from this disease.. but with age, the possibility of shoulder bursitis increases. ### Improper body position Continuous bending of the shoulders reduces the space between the acromion and the glenohumeral joint, and eventually there is a possibility of compression and irritation of the soft tissue between them. ### Bacterial bursa infection Bursal infection is known as a complication of septic bursitis... the existence of some underlying diseases and the use of certain drugs suppress the immune system, and the person will be more at risk of developing septic bursitis. For example, people with cancer, HIV or AIDS, diabetes, etc. may be more prone to septic bursitis than other people. ### History of bursitis Patients who suffered from this disease in the past, there is a possibility of getting this disease again. ### Bone spurs or calcium deposits Shoulder burs and other soft tissues of the shoulder can grow and be irritated by bone spurs, also called osteophytes, on the lower part of the humerus. In addition, calcium deposits that are small and soft can grow and harden over time and eventually irritate the shoulder bursa. How is shoulder bursitis diagnosed?. When you see a pain specialist for shoulder pain, they first check all the factors that lead to shoulder pain and rule out any of the factors that lead to shoulder pain depending on the patient's symptoms. To accurately diagnose the cause of the pain, they may recommend imaging or administer injections to the patient to identify the cause of the pain. Imaging to diagnose the cause of shoulder pain The images that Dr. Mohammad Hossein Delshad may recommend to patients are as follows: ### X-rays Cases such as arthritis have been shown in the glenohumeral and acromioclavicular joints....bone abnormalities can also be seen. ### MRI Images of bone tissue as well as soft tissues such as rotator cuff, tendon and bursa are shown. ### Ultrasound In this method, the bursa membrane is thickened and excess synovial fluid is detected in the swollen bursa. What is the treatment of shoulder bursitis?.. When bursitis and tendons are damaged and excessive pressure is applied, various treatments are considered for patients.... First, the doctor tries to treat the patient with basic methods.. When a person suffers from this septic condition, antibiotics are prescribed to the patient to treat the infection.. The non-surgical treatments that are considered are as follows: ### Rest You should avoid activities such as throwing, lifting and pushing that lead to aggravation and inflammation of the shoulder bursa. ### Topical drugs The use of some therapeutic drugs, such as creams or gels, must be applied directly to painful joints. The use of topical drugs can treat or reduce the inflammation that leads to pain by numbing the nerve endings. ### Physiotherapy The doctor may recommend physical therapy to stretch or strengthen the shoulder muscles and generally improve the physical condition.... Physiotherapy can have an immediate effect in the treatment of bursitis and tendonitis. ### Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs Oral anti-inflammatory medications such as aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, etc. can reduce the swelling and inflammation caused by shoulder bursitis. Eventually, in most cases, the resulting pain and inflammation will be relieved. ### wish Although the bursa in the shoulder area does not have much inflammation, sometimes the doctor deems it necessary to use a syringe called aspiration to drain the excess fluid caused by the bursa. Cortisone injection may also be done at the same time. ### Corticosteroid injection The next step in treating symptoms that do not resolve with rest, pain medication, or physical therapy is steroid injections...the side effects of these injections may weaken nearby tendons. Therefore, only a small amount of these drugs should be used after rest, physical therapy and medication. #### Antibiotics Septic subacromial bursitis requires the use of antibiotics... In most cases, people with septic bursitis are treated with antibiotics.... When the patient has a serious problem, antibiotics are given to the patient. After completing each step of treatment, you should wait until symptoms have completely resolved before resuming activities....Activities that cause friction or pressure on the shoulder bursa or tendons before they have healed are likely to worsen symptoms. If shoulder bursitis is chronic and does not respond to treatment, finally surgery is performed.. The type of surgery that is considered for the patient depends on the patient's symptoms and the main cause of the shoulder pain: ### Bursectomy The inflamed bursa is removed with a procedure called bursectomy. This surgical procedure may be done through an open incision or arthroscopically. After it is removed, a new bursa is formed in its place. ### Acromioplasty During this procedure, the surgeon removes or cuts a part of the acromion of the shoulder blade. With this treatment method, the surgeon creates more space for the soft tissue of the shoulder such as the rotator cuff, tendon and bursa. ### Tendon and muscle repair If the bursa is caused by muscle or tendon damage due to shoulder stiffness, the doctor will repair these damaged areas...for example, a torn tendon may be repaired and reattached to the head of the humerus. dangers it causes to the patient If this disease becomes chronic, there is a possibility of creating risks such as frequent attacks of pain, sensitivity and swelling.... The mentioned cases can lead to muscle atrophy and also limit the range of movements in the affected joint. Complications of shoulder bursitis If this disease becomes chronic, it can damage the bursa....Over time, it also affects the mobility of the shoulder....The bacteria that leads to infectious bursitis spreads to organs and other parts of the body....In chronic and severe cases, it creates a life-threatening condition. Shoulder bursitis home treatment Since this condition is often caused by inflammation, resting the shoulder can help reduce symptoms....Other examples of home remedies include: ### Give your shoulders a break You should avoid activities that make your symptoms worse... This is more common in people who do repetitive activities with the shoulder following their specific tasks. ### Take over-the-counter pain relievers Using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs is effective in reducing inflammation. ### Use an ice pack When using a cold compress, there should be a cover between the body and the compress....it should be left on the target area for 10 to 15 minutes each time. ### Use braces Using a brace is used to rest the arm and prevent it from doing too many activities... You can get this product from pharmacies. ### Do gentle stretching activities Remember that the stretching movement should not be such that you feel pain or uncomfortable symptoms. Time to see a doctor If you do not get better with home remedies, discuss your problem with your doctor.... If you have an infection, immediate and medical treatment is definitely very important.... Also, if you see excessive swelling even with treatment, you should definitely check and follow up....