The exact cause of the disease is not yet fully known, but it is believed that degenerative changes due to aging and/or damage due to accidents or general wear and tear from everyday use contribute to the condition. In addition, there may be a link to minor accidents that are often exacerbated by exercise and sports. The disease usually affects people between the ages of 40-60 and is more common in women than in men. 

In the early stages of calcific tendinitis, the patient may experience no pain at all, or perhaps mild or moderate pain only. Symptoms of the condition may be exhibited in a variety of forms as follows:

• Sudden shoulder pain or stiffness
• Intense pain with shoulder movement
• Severe pain that disrupts sleep
• Reduced range of motion

The most common pain characteristic of this condition is the result of severe inflammation, causing the patient to experience pain and fever similar to that of a shoulder infection. When this is the case, it is considered a medical emergency. 

Your healthcare provider will examine your shoulder, ask about your symptoms and review your medical history. Additional diagnostic tools and tests may be used to confirm the diagnosis as follows:

• X-ray examination
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), CT scan
• Ultrasound examination

There are two main types of treatment methods for calcific tendinitis: conservative treatment and surgical treatment.

• Conservative Treatment: About 90% of patients can be improved without the use of surgery. conservative treatment can be administered as follows: 
  • Steroid injections into the affected site are the best way to reduce inflammation and pain. Many patients are wary of steroid injections, but your physician will only use it in cases where it is truly necessary.
  • Steroid tablets may be necessary or beneficial for some patients, but should only be used under the direction of a physician.
  • Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and pain relievers are another way to reduce inflammation and pain, but may not be particularly effective for treatment of this condition.
  • Physical therapy, shockwave therapy, and therapeutic ultrasound have all been reported to have good results. If, however, you have increased pain after undergoing treatment, you should halt treatments and consult a specialist. 
  • Lavage treatment involves the injection of saline into calcium deposits to help dissolve and remove them.
  • Any activities that use the shoulder joint should be reduced.
• Surgical Treatment: Arthroscopic surgery is the standard surgical method used to remove calcium deposits. At the same time, your doctor will consider sutures to repair torn shoulder tendons, if any. Generally speaking, while a tendon is in the acute inflammatory phase, surgical treatment is not advised as bleeding and deterioration of shoulder tendons can occur under these conditions, making repair and suturing difficult. Instead, palliative care is recommended in the acute inflammatory phase and only in chronic cases or in cases where patients have been unresponsive to other treatments is surgery considered as an appropriate course of action for a better outcome. 

Arthroscopic surgery to remove calcium deposits and repair the shoulder tendons is a form of minimally invasive surgery. Postoperative recovery takes approximately 6 weeks. Patients may need to wear an arm sling after surgery to prevent movement of the shoulder joint. 

Although calcific tendonitis cannot be prevented altogether, there are steps you can take that may reduce your risk, such as controlling your weight within healthy levels, exercising regularly, and, if you develop pain in your shoulder, avoiding participation in strenuous shoulder-related activities until you have it checked out by a specialist for proper diagnosis.

Calcific tendonitis is a condition that causes pain and suffering in a patient’s daily life. As such, if there is pain in the shoulder joint and you suspect this may be an issue for you, consult a specialist physician to prevent any possible complications, such as a rotator cuff tear or a severely frozen shoulder.