What is Calcific Tendinitis of the Shoulder?

What Causes Calcific Tendinitis?

The exact cause is unknown, but it is thought to relate to changes in the nutrition of tendon tissue. It is most common between 30 and 60, in women and in people with diabetes. The deposit can stay silent for a while; when the body starts to resorb it, intense inflammatory pain appears.

Symptoms

• Very severe shoulder pain, sometimes starting within a few days
• Inability to lie on the shoulder at night
• Pain and restriction when lifting the arm sideways and overhead
• In the chronic phase, a catching sensation when raising the arm

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the calcium deposit disappear on its own?

In many patients the deposit is resorbed over time. During the painful phase, rest, ice, medication and physiotherapy are used. For persistent cases, shockwave therapy or ultrasound-guided needle lavage to break up and wash out the calcium are effective options. Surgery is rarely needed.