How Long Does a Shoulder Bursitis Flare Up Last?

It can vary.

I’ve seen people with tendinitis or bursitis in the shoulder for months and months and months and sometimes even longer. Typically, if it’s been there for over 3 to 6 months, it’s probably a rotator cuff tear, more than bursitis. But that’s not always the case.

Rotator cuff tears can have relatively short periods of symptoms, too, so there’s all this crossover in medicine where not everything fits into a nice little box. But typically, if your problem is just shoulder bursitis or tendinitis, it should go away after a few months.

Now, a lot of times, it doesn’t. What we can do is get you in to see a therapist. If that is your problem, do a strengthening program plus or minus a cortisone injection, depending on your circumstances.