What Exactly is Calcific Tendonitis and its Symptoms?

“Frozen Shoulder” which is the common term when referring to calcific tendonitis, which people suffer from very often. This problem affects women often that are diabetic and over the age of 40. Certainly, the condition may be the result of an accident; however, physicians do not know the precise cause of calcific tendonitis.

When this problem is a result of trauma, it comes on quickly, but in most instances, it takes nearly a year to develop a case of calcific tendonitis that would be harsh enough for the sufferer to go get medical treatment. The reason is because in the beginning, the pain is not strong and the person has not lost much range of motion so their shoulder mobility is not limited.

Little by little, the pain increases, usually causing an interruption of sleep as the pain is usually worst at night. Along with the pain increasing, there is also the beginning of loss of the range of motion to the affected shoulder. For example putting away dishes into your cupboard will cause you to wince in pain. Or, someone who plays tennis, for example, may no longer be able to raise their tennis racket.

Your doctor may treat this condition with shots of cortisone; however, there is an issue with those. The doctor must administer the cortisone in an exact spot. Finding the precise spot is hard, even for a trained doctor that has performed this service for years. Thankfully, with the use of x-rays and diagnostic ultrasonography, many doctors can place the shot in the proper position required.

By following this advice, much of the pain related to calcific tendonitis will vanish, or at least decrease. You then must start intense physical therapy.

Usually you can do the exercises in your home, however most people end up going to a physical therapist to get an efficient guided rehabilitation program. Much of the exercises are very easy. For instance, standing facing a wall, you use the fingers of your affected shoulder to just walk up the wall. At first, you will only be able to do a bit of this exercise, but as time goes on you will be able to do more. Pilates have even been said to help in some cases as well.

As mentioned the complete immobilization of your shoulder probably took months to create, and your therapy will also take months on months to receive complete relief. You will however, be able to mark your progress, albeit slowly. A number of other treatments are often tried, such as ice, heat, and you may also receive nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) as well.

If your calcific tendonitis resists all the therapies prescribed, and you’ve done them religiously for months on end, the final solution may well be surgery. You should, however, prior to having surgery, look toward all the other venues, such as more intense physical therapy first, and besides following surgery, you will still need to follow a very intensive physical therapy program!

Tom Nicholson has spent years helping carpal tunnel sufferers. You can click here to learn more regardingcalcific tendinitis.