Calcified tendinitis of the shoulder is the accumulation of calcium in one or more tendons in this region. These deposits are typically found at the transition of the tendon to the bone. Characteristic symptoms of calcareous tendinitis are increasing pain, which occurs particularly when the arm is raised. Treatment of calcareous tendinitis of the shoulder can be conservative, involving the use of certain medications, physiotherapy and surgery.
Symptoms
Increasingly worsening pain when moving the arm is at the forefront of the symptoms of tendinitis calcarea. The pain that occurs during the course of the disease is typical of the clinical picture and therefore plays an important role in the diagnosis of the disease. Lying on the diseased shoulder is particularly painful for those affected.
It can happen that the affected person can only sleep on one side. Furthermore, pain is typical, which is particularly strong when the arm is raised. Complications that can occur in the context of tendinitis calcarea can also lead to a mobility disorder and a loss of strength in the affected arm. It is important to note that the disease initially proceeds relatively painlessly. Thus, symptoms usually only appear after a certain degree of progression of the tendonitis.
Causes
Tendinitis calcarea is a degenerative disease in which calcium deposits are formed inside the tendons. However, the reason for the development of the clinical picture can be very different. Overuse of the affected structures of the shoulder over a longer period of time, accidents involving the shoulder, weak blood circulation in the structures of the shoulder and wear and tear due to aging processes can be responsible for the development of the clinical picture.
Each cause ultimately leads to a reduced blood supply to the affected region, whereupon tissue transformation of the tendon is induced. The tissue transformation provokes calcification. The calcification affects other structures and is followed by inflammation, which is responsible for the typical symptoms of tendinitis calcarea.
