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How Can Severe Pain In The Shoulders Be Treated?
I m currently e periencing extreme shoulder pain.i have been diagnosed with bursitis in the past and I believe this is what I have due to a reappearance of an old injury. I was exercising last week used too much weight for an exercise I was doing for my shoulder. I am asthmatic and I also have high blood pressure which are both under control by current medication, ad air and norvasc, and my doctor advises against the use of ibuprofen which is the only thing whic helps when Tylenol doesn t. I have taken 4 Advil tablets so far, at 6 hour intervals , got some relief but the pain has come back. I am not at home, currently visiting in the U.S., and not able to get a stronger version of Advil over the counter (I live in Canada and ca get extra strength Advil over the counter). Can I continue to take the Advil until I go to see my doctor sometime this week.
Mon, 23 Jul 2018
Hello and Welcome to ‘Ask A Doctor’ service.
I have reviewed your query and here is my advice.
Because bursitis is often due to inflammation, giving your shoulder enough time to rest can often help reduce symptoms. Examples of some of the at-home steps that can help reduce bursitis symptoms include:
Rest the shoulder:
Avoiding activities that you know tend to worsen symptoms can help to reduce your symptoms. Often, this is an activity in an occupation or a frequent pastime.
Take an over-the-counter pain reliever:
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are especially helpful in reducing inflammation. These include:
1. Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin)
2. Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
3. Naproxen sodium (Aleve)
Apply an ice pack to the affected area:
Always have some kind of protective covering between the ice and your skin. Wear a cold compress for only 10 to 15 minutes at a time.
Wear a shoulder brace:
A shoulder brace can help serve as a reminder to rest your arm and keep from doing too much. These are available at most drugstores, although you may need a physical therapist or doctor to show you how to correctly wear it.
Perform gentle stretching activities
But don’t stretch to the point of extreme pain or discomfort.
Treatment for severe shoulder bursitis:
Corticosteroids and pain medications:
If at-home treatments aren’t effective, your doctor may prescribe stronger pain medications. However, these won’t heal the underlying causes of bursitis. Another option is Corticosteroid injections around the bursa. However, you can only have a limited number of these injections because they increase the likelihood that you could rupture your tendon.
Surgery: In rare instances, your doctor may recommend surgery for bursitis. Your doctor usually doesn’t recommend surgery as a treatment unless you have been experiencing problems with little relief for six to 12 months. If you do need surgery, your doctor will most likely do it arthroscopically. This means they will make small incisions in your skin and inserts surgical instruments to remove damaged areas of tissue that may be pressing on or irritating the bursa. Sometimes, a doctor will remove the bursa to create more space for the tendon. Often, a person will participate in some type of physical therapy as a way of enhancing recovery.
Hope I have answered your query.
Let me know if I can assist you further.
I have reviewed your query and here is my advice.
Because bursitis is often due to inflammation, giving your shoulder enough time to rest can often help reduce symptoms. Examples of some of the at-home steps that can help reduce bursitis symptoms include:
Rest the shoulder:
Avoiding activities that you know tend to worsen symptoms can help to reduce your symptoms. Often, this is an activity in an occupation or a frequent pastime.
Take an over-the-counter pain reliever:
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are especially helpful in reducing inflammation. These include:
1. Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin)
2. Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
3. Naproxen sodium (Aleve)
Apply an ice pack to the affected area:
Always have some kind of protective covering between the ice and your skin. Wear a cold compress for only 10 to 15 minutes at a time.
Wear a shoulder brace:
A shoulder brace can help serve as a reminder to rest your arm and keep from doing too much. These are available at most drugstores, although you may need a physical therapist or doctor to show you how to correctly wear it.
Perform gentle stretching activities
But don’t stretch to the point of extreme pain or discomfort.
Treatment for severe shoulder bursitis:
Corticosteroids and pain medications:
If at-home treatments aren’t effective, your doctor may prescribe stronger pain medications. However, these won’t heal the underlying causes of bursitis. Another option is Corticosteroid injections around the bursa. However, you can only have a limited number of these injections because they increase the likelihood that you could rupture your tendon.
Surgery: In rare instances, your doctor may recommend surgery for bursitis. Your doctor usually doesn’t recommend surgery as a treatment unless you have been experiencing problems with little relief for six to 12 months. If you do need surgery, your doctor will most likely do it arthroscopically. This means they will make small incisions in your skin and inserts surgical instruments to remove damaged areas of tissue that may be pressing on or irritating the bursa. Sometimes, a doctor will remove the bursa to create more space for the tendon. Often, a person will participate in some type of physical therapy as a way of enhancing recovery.
Hope I have answered your query.
Let me know if I can assist you further.
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