Calcific Tendonitis
Calcific Tendonitis refers to the build-up of calcium salts in a tendon, usually as a
result of an injury, trauma or stress, which leads to inflammation.
What causes Calcific Tendonitis
Injury, trauma, or stress to parts of the body where muscles and tendons are important
to function can cause calcific Tendonitis. It often occurs in the tendons of the shoulder
joints, but tendons of any joint may be involved in such a process.
Calcification is the process by which fibers of a tendon become hardened by a deposit
of calcium salts, causing inflammation.
Calcific Tendonitis symptoms
While the calcium is being deposited, afflicted individuals may feel only mild to
moderate pain, or even no pain at all. For some unknown reason, calcific Tendonitis
becomes very painful when the deposits are reabsorbed. Common symptoms include pain in the
shoulder and down the side of the arm, pain when lifting the arm overhead, pain when
sleeping on the injured side and restriction of movement, as well as the onset of pain
that is unrelated to shoulder position or activity.
- pain
- tenderness
- restriction of motion.
Calcific Tendonitis diagnosis
The health care provider will examine you and review your symptoms. Your provider will
also order x-rays.
Calcific Tendonitis treatment
To relieve pain from calcific Tendonitis and restore functioning of the injured part:
- Take anti-inflammatory medicine if recommended or prescribed by your health care
provider.
- Put ice packs on the joint for 20 to 30 minutes every 3 to 4 hours.
- Do the exercises prescribed by your health care provider to keep the joint moving.
- Avoid activities that make the problem worse.
If the symptoms do not go away, your health care provider may give you a steroid
injection.
This condition can be treated with surgery if other treatments do not work. In
addition, surgery may be used to improve your range of motion if you have calcific
Tendonitis in your shoulder (frozen shoulder) and it is hard for you to move your
shoulder. \ |
