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DESCRIPTION:
Calcific tendonitis, or calcification, refers to the build-up of calcium salts in a tendon, usually as a result of an injury, trauma or stress, which leads to inflammation. Although this condition often occurs in the tendons of the shoulder joints, it can affect any joint. The calcium deposits eventually end up inhibiting the normal, friction-free movement of the joint.
How does calcific tendonitis develop?
There are two different types of calcific tendonitis: degenerative calcification and reactive calcification. The wear-and-tear of aging is the primary cause of degenerative calcification. As we age, blood flow to the tendons decreases. This makes the tendons weaker, and over time, as we use the affected joint, the fibers of the tendons begin to fray and tear, just like a worn-out rope. Calcium deposits form in the damaged tendons as part of the healing process.
Reactive calcification is quite different and is unrelated to degeneration. Although it is unclear why this type of calcification occurs, it is more likely to cause shoulder pain than degenerative calcification. This type of calcific tendonitis is more common among younger patients, and seems to go away by itself in many cases. Probable causes include repetitive overhead use of an arm, frequent lifting, tennis, hammering, gardening and weightlifting. A history of trauma to the shoulder may also be involved.
What are the symptoms of calcific tendonitis?
While the calcium is being deposited, afflicted individuals may feel only mild to moderate pain, or even no pain at all. For some unknown reason, calcific tendonitis becomes very painful when the deposits are reabsorbed. Common symptoms include pain in the shoulder and down the side of the arm, pain when lifting the arm overhead, pain when sleeping on the injured side and restriction of movement, as well as the onset of pain that is unrelated to shoulder position or activity.
Conventional medical treatments may help relieve the symptoms of calcific tendonitis, but they do not address the root of the problem. By strengthening structural weaknesses in the body, as natural medicine treatments like Prolotherapy do, pain associated with calcific tendonitis may be alleviated permanently.
Discover why we believe that natural medicine treatments are the best way to treat calcific tendonitis.
Click here to read Prolotherapy research by Dr. Ross Hauser and his team on Prolotherapy injections for shoulder pain and degeneration.
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