Health A-Z

Medical Content Created by the Faculty of the
Harvard Medical School

Bursitis

Treatment

If you modify your activities and rest the joint, symptoms should go away within days or sometimes weeks. In the meantime, you may want to take an anti-inflammatory drug such as aspirin or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin and others) to relieve discomfort and reduce the inflammation. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) and physical therapy also may be effective. If bursitis is caused by an infection, you will need to take an antibiotic. When the pain is intense or does not improve in a short period, your doctor may inject a corticosteroid drug directly into the area. However, repeated steroid injections over a short time can be damaging.

When bursitis occurs repeatedly in the same joint, the bursa may be removed surgically, although this is rare. Surgery also may be needed if you have an infection in the bursa that does not clear up when you take antibiotics.