Shoulder bursitis is inflammation or irritation of a bursa in the shoulder. A bursa is a small fluid-filled sac that cushions the bones, tendons, and muscles near your joints. Bursitis occurs when bursae become inflamed, and it often occurs near joints that perform frequent repetitive motion. The most common causes of bursitis are repetitive motions or positions that put pressure on the bursae around a joint. Some common symptoms of shoulder bursitis include:

• Dull ache, sharp pain, or mild tenderness in the shoulder
• Shoulder stiffness or a feeling of swelling
• Painful range of motion
• Nighttime pain when lying on the affected side
• Sharp or pinching pain with overhead shoulder motions

Treatment typically involves resting the affected joint and protecting it from further trauma. In most cases, bursitis pain goes away within a few weeks with proper treatment, but recurrent flare-ups of bursitis are common. Depending on the type of shoulder bursitis, treatment may include activity modification, immobilization with a splint, icing, injections, aspiration of the bursa (removing fluid with a syringe), antibiotics, or anti-inflammatory pain medication. Surgery is rarely needed to treat bursitis.