Calcific Tendinitis: What Is It and How Is It Best Treated?
Calcific tendinitis is a condition that causes sharp pain a joint, when calcium deposits form around the tendons and then break free, triggering inflammation. It usually hits the rotator cuff and can affect either or both shoulders.
The actual cause of calcific Tendinitis is still unknown. Several things have been ruled out as causes. Excess calcium in the diet has been ruled out; people who develop it do not have elevated calcium levels in their blood. If you are diagnosed with this condition, do not limit your calcium; that can put you at a risk for osteoporosis as your body cannibalizes the bones to make up the lack.
In some cases, it may be that a metabolic condition may cause calcific tendinitis, or that kidney problems can cause these calcium deposits; however, this is only a guess and is not a definite and diagnosed cause. In addition, dramatic injury or overuse of the rotator cuff probably does not cause calcific tendinitis come either. Overuse CAN cause rotator cuff tendinitis, which occurs without excess calcium deposits being present.
May be related to age
Some have speculated that calcific tendinitis does have some increased propensity to occur as we age, since most people under the age of 30 do not have calcium deposits in their tendons.
Symptoms
Most cases of calcific tendinitis are asymptomatic, until the calcium deposits break up and cause inflammation. The most common symptom (before inflammation) is when you have difficulty raising your arm above your shoulder level, triggered by the calcium deposit rubbing inside the rotator cuff. This is sometimes called “shoulder impingement syndrome”.
In addition, calcium crystals may shed off of the deposits and cause the tendons to become acutely inflamed. Oftentimes, people aren’t even aware they have calcific tendinitis until they experience this kind of attack. Surprisingly, though, this is also when the calcium deposits can be reabsorbed by the body.
Sudden onset
Calcific Tendinitis has a quick trigger point, rather than small amounts of pain that gradually worsen. Most cases, when it triggers, it’s because the calcium crystals have broken free; the symptoms go away within a week or two as they’re re-absorbed by the body.
If you see your doctor during an attack of acute calcific tendinitis, it can be seen on an x-ray, via the deposits that exist in your shoulder rotator cuff. Usually, calcific tendinitis treatment simply consists of taking over-the-counter anti-inflammatory pain relievers and applying ice. Doing range of motion exercises during this time can also prevent experiencing “frozen shoulder” symptoms.
If pain is particularly severe, your doctor can give you a steroid or cortisone injection into your shoulder to relieve inflammation. In some cases, the deposits can be broken apart with a hyper during meal and sucked out with a syringe. In very, very rare cases, surgery may need to be performed to remove the deposits, especially if the deposits interfere with shoulder movement. Usually, arthroscopic surgery can take care of this with minimal invasiveness.
Tom Nicholson spends his time helping carpal tunnel sufferers. You can click here to learn more regardingcalcific tendinitis.
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