Shoulder lime, lime depot in the shoulder joint, shoulder calcification, calcified shoulder
Introduction
The disease tendinosis calcarea is a calcification of various tendons of the human body caused by the deposition of calcium crystals. In principle, tendinosis calcarea can affect any tendon, but it is particularly common in the tendons of the shoulder joint (especially the tendon of the supraspinatus muscle). This constellation is also called calcified shoulder.
The patellar and Achilles tendon are also relatively frequently affected by tendinosis calcarea, but occasionally also insertions of the other tendons of the rotator cuff. The term rotator cuff is a common term for the shoulder muscles involved in arm rotation. In the course of tendinosis calcarea, also known as tendinitis calcarea in the case of very acute, inflammatory complaints, reactive calcium deposits occur at the tendon attachments due to reduced blood flow in the rotator cuff.
These calcifications can be identified on an X-ray image and are therefore relatively easy to diagnose. In addition to the shoulder, the Achilles tendon, patella and hip may also be affected in rare cases. Most frequently, tendinosis calcarea occurs in patients between the ages of 40 and 50. Overall, women are affected slightly more frequently than men.
Symptoms
The symptoms of tendinosis calcarea depend on which tendon is affected by the disease. If tendons in the shoulder area are affected, patients usually feel pain when they try to lift the arm (overhead work). There may also be pain in the lateral position and in severe cases complete immobility of the arm (pseudoparalysis).
As the disease progresses, the symptoms also worsen. In the later stages, the calcifications can break into the shoulder joint, which can cause bursitis with severe pain, overheating and redness in the joint area. Often patients can only spread the affected arm from the body by turning it outwards or inwards.
By turning it, the tendon with the embedded crystals is no longer trapped in the acromion, so that the arm can then be lifted more easily. Secondarily, a calcified shoulder can also cause tension in the head and neck area. Because patients can only lift the arm in pain, they perform more awkward movements that make particular use of the mobility of the shoulder blade. As a result, the neck muscles can become overloaded and react with tension, which can often radiate painfully into the head area. In many cases, patients then see their problem in the neck area and no longer even notice the original problem, namely calcification of the shoulder tendons.
