A painful condition of the rotator cuffs and shoulders, calcific tendinitis is the result of calcium buildup under the shoulder blade in the tendons of the shoulder and around the rotator cuffs.
The causes of calcific tendinitis are not definitively known, but it IS known that too much calcium in the diet does not cause it, and most people who have calcific tendinitis show that they have normal calcium levels in the blood. If you have been diagnosed with calcific tendinitis, therefore, you should NOT limit your calcium intake just because you've been diagnosed with this condition; you could put yourself at risk of developing osteoporosis, because too little calcium in the diet will simply cause your body to leach it from your bones.
Some have speculated that calcific tendinitis may be caused by a metabolic condition, or that those with kidney problems may be at greater risk of developing these types of calcium deposits. However, again, this is only a guess and not a definite diagnosed cause. It's also known that overuse of the rotator cuff or injury does not cause calcific tendinitis, either. You CAN develop rotator cuff tendinitis with overuse, which is tendinitis that occurs without calcium deposits in addition.
The condition only shows up in those over the age of 30; whether this is because of metabolic changes in the late 20s or something else is still being investigated.
What are the symptoms of calcific tendinitis?
Calcified tendinitis is typically symptom free; the calcium nodule builds up under the rotator cuff, and it isn't until it sheds crystals that any pain occurs. If the calcium deposit grows deeply enough, it won't be felt as a lump or anything, though it may cause shoulder impingement syndrome if you raise your arm over your head.
Oftentimes, what happens is that the calcium crystals in the deposits begin to shed off and cause the tendons to inflame. This is often the first symptom of calcific tendinitis, as many people aren't even aware they have until they experience this. Surprisingly, this is also when things may begin to "turn around" for the condition, because this is when the body may reabsorb those calcium deposits.
Symptoms occur suddenly, rather than gradually over a long period of time. The pain symptoms are usually not permanent and only last a week or two until the deposits themselves are broken up.
If the pain is very bad, it may be worth it to go to a general practitioner; an x-ray will show the calcium deposit clearly. In addition to aspirin, there's often recommendations to ice the shoulder, and to do range of motion exercises.
Severe pain can get your doctor to give you a shot of cortisone to reduce inflammation, or a steroid shot. Rarely, they may decide to run a hypodermic under the shoulder blade to break up the nodule and extract the pieces with a syringe. In a handful of cases, arthroscopic surgery to remove large deposits may be needed to restore the full range of motion to your shoulder.
The causes of calcific tendinitis are not definitively known, but it IS known that too much calcium in the diet does not cause it, and most people who have calcific tendinitis show that they have normal calcium levels in the blood. If you have been diagnosed with calcific tendinitis, therefore, you should NOT limit your calcium intake just because you've been diagnosed with this condition; you could put yourself at risk of developing osteoporosis, because too little calcium in the diet will simply cause your body to leach it from your bones.
Some have speculated that calcific tendinitis may be caused by a metabolic condition, or that those with kidney problems may be at greater risk of developing these types of calcium deposits. However, again, this is only a guess and not a definite diagnosed cause. It's also known that overuse of the rotator cuff or injury does not cause calcific tendinitis, either. You CAN develop rotator cuff tendinitis with overuse, which is tendinitis that occurs without calcium deposits in addition.
The condition only shows up in those over the age of 30; whether this is because of metabolic changes in the late 20s or something else is still being investigated.
What are the symptoms of calcific tendinitis?
Calcified tendinitis is typically symptom free; the calcium nodule builds up under the rotator cuff, and it isn't until it sheds crystals that any pain occurs. If the calcium deposit grows deeply enough, it won't be felt as a lump or anything, though it may cause shoulder impingement syndrome if you raise your arm over your head.
Oftentimes, what happens is that the calcium crystals in the deposits begin to shed off and cause the tendons to inflame. This is often the first symptom of calcific tendinitis, as many people aren't even aware they have until they experience this. Surprisingly, this is also when things may begin to "turn around" for the condition, because this is when the body may reabsorb those calcium deposits.
Symptoms occur suddenly, rather than gradually over a long period of time. The pain symptoms are usually not permanent and only last a week or two until the deposits themselves are broken up.
If the pain is very bad, it may be worth it to go to a general practitioner; an x-ray will show the calcium deposit clearly. In addition to aspirin, there's often recommendations to ice the shoulder, and to do range of motion exercises.
Severe pain can get your doctor to give you a shot of cortisone to reduce inflammation, or a steroid shot. Rarely, they may decide to run a hypodermic under the shoulder blade to break up the nodule and extract the pieces with a syringe. In a handful of cases, arthroscopic surgery to remove large deposits may be needed to restore the full range of motion to your shoulder.
About the Author:
Tom Nicholson has spent years helping carpal tunnel sufferers. You can follow this link to learn more regardingcalcific tendinitis.
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