Calcified shoulder - how to get rid of the pain in my shoulder.
- Mar 29
- 4 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
Symptomatic calcific tendonitis is a painful condition caused by the deposition of calcium in the shoulder joint. This condition can affect people of any age, although it is most common in people between the ages of 40 and 60.
In this article, we explain the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment options for calcific tendonitis.
In this article you will learn:
Definition of calcific shoulder
Typical symptoms of calcific tendonitis.
This is how a calcific shoulder is diagnosed.
This is the typical progression of calcific tendonitis.
These are the treatment options for calcific tendonitis.
1. The definition of calcific shoulder
Calcific tendonitis (calcific tendinosis) is a condition in which calcium salts ("calcification") are deposited in the area of shoulder tendons, usually the rotator cuff. Tendons , bursae, or the shoulder capsule can become inflamed in the area of the calcification. This can lead to a very painful, often sudden-onset shoulder condition and most commonly affects people between the ages of 30 and 50.
2. Symptoms of a calcified shoulder
The symptoms of calcific tendonitis can vary, but most people with this condition experience pain in the shoulder joint that may radiate to the upper arm. The pain may persist for an extended period and worsen at night. Mobility of the shoulder joint may also be impaired, making it difficult to lift or move the arm. In some cases, inflammation of the joint capsule may also occur, exacerbating the painful limitation of movement.
3. Diagnosis of a calcific shoulder
To diagnose calcific tendonitis, a patient interview is usually followed by a physical examination and assessment of the patient's symptoms. Calcium can be detected using ultrasound and an X-ray of the shoulder joint. In some cases, an MRI scan may also be useful to detect, in addition to calcium, small tears in the tendons, or inflammation of the capsule and bursae.
4. This is the typical course of the calcific shoulder
1. Phase of cell transformation:
Due to chronic degenerative damage to the tendons, the tendon tissue is transformed into fibrocartilage. The patient usually experiences no or only very mild discomfort during this phase.
2nd phase of calcification:
The original tendon tissue partially dies, and calcium deposits build up at the site. This calcium deposit can constrict the affected shoulder tendon between the humeral head and the acromion, which can cause inflammation and pain similar to impingement syndrome . This most commonly occurs in the supraspinatus tendon and can lead to inflammation of the overlying bursa.
3. Phase of absorption:
The calcium deposits are reabsorbed (dissolved), which can be accompanied by a severe inflammatory reaction. This can temporarily trigger severe shoulder pain. If individual calcium deposits expand into the bursae or shoulder capsule, they can cause bursitis. (bursitis) or inflammation of the joint capsule (capsulitis).
4th phase of repair:
If the calcium deposit dissolves, it is extremely rare for calcium deposits to recur.
Not every calcific tendonitis completes this cycle. It can remain in any stage. Therefore, the symptoms of a patient with calcific tendonitis can vary considerably. This depends primarily on the size of the calcium deposit and the stage of the disease. The pain can therefore occur in phases depending on the phase.
5. Treatment options for a calcified shoulder
Treatment for calcific tendonitis depends on the diagnosis, severity of the condition, the patient's symptoms, and the stage of the disease. Here are some of the most common treatment options:
1. Pain relief:
The doctor may prescribe painkillers to relieve pain and improve mobility in the shoulder joint.
2. Physiotherapy:
Physiotherapy can help improve shoulder joint mobility and strengthen the muscles. Improving the position of the shoulder blade relative to the rib cage can particularly alleviate symptoms. In addition to therapy, it also has a preventative effect in preventing recurrence of calcification.
3. Endurance sports and stretching
Endurance sports such as jogging and regular stretching (e.g. Pilates) have been shown in studies to alleviate symptoms.
4. Injections:
In some cases, the doctor may administer an injection into the shoulder joint to reduce inflammation and relieve pain.
5. Extraction of limescale deposits and needle lavage:
In more severe cases, surgery may be necessary to remove the calcium deposits from the shoulder joint. This is especially useful if, in addition to a large calcium deposit, other causes of pain in the shoulder have been identified (e.g., tendon ruptures , osteoarthritis , chronic bursitis ).
In a needle lavage, the calcium deposit is broken up by repeatedly piercing it with a sharp needle and the released calcium is flushed out of the shoulder.
6. Shock wave therapy:
Shockwave treatment can help loosen the calcium deposits, allowing the body to dissolve the calcium through its own degradation processes. This can relieve pain and, once the calcium is broken down, lead to a lasting improvement in the condition.
Conclusion:
Calcified shoulder can be a very painful condition that affects the mobility of the shoulder joint.
It is important that patients with symptoms of calcific tendonitis consult a doctor to obtain a diagnosis and receive the best possible treatment.
The course of calcific tendonitis depends on the phase and can vary from mild to severe pain depending on the stage of the disease, the size of the lesion, and any accompanying inflammation.
Regular exercise, stretching, Pilates and endurance sports such as jogging can help to improve the position of the shoulder blade and promote blood circulation in the shoulder and have shown a positive effect in studies on calcified shoulder.
Multimodal therapy including exercise therapy, injections, and shock wave treatment can lead to rapid pain relief from calcific tendonitis. Surgery is only rarely necessary in cases involving large calcifications and other accompanying causes of shoulder pain .
Do you have shoulder pain and are unsure what the cause is?
Then make an appointment with our specialist :
Specialist in orthopedics
and trauma surgery,
Sports medicine
