However, the news is not all bad.
On a positive note, the vast majority of patients do find relief with nonsurgical treatments for this condition.
The early steps and treatment are generally focused on alleviating pain and allowing the inflammation to subside.
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Many patients find a cortisone injection helpful, and sometimes more than one is needed for successful treatment.
Most reports on this method of treatment of calcific tendonitis show guarded success.
The good news is that there is a very low complication rate from shockwave therapy.
Ultrasound-guided needling: Needling is a procedure performed under local anesthetic or more general sedation.
They will then aspirate some of the sediment.
Typically an ultrasound machine can help to ensure the needle placement is directed appropriately right at the calcific deposit.
Injections of saline, Novocaine, or sometimes cortisone, are then made into the calcium deposit.
Because the calcium deposit was inside the tendon, removing it can leave a gap.
For that reason, sometimes your surgeon will also have to repair the damaged rotator cuff tendon.
This can make the surgical recovery longer, as there may be restrictions on activity.
Full recovery for surgical treatment can be as quick as 6 weeks but is more commonly around 3 months.
If the rotator cuff requires surgical repair the recovery may be up to 6 months in duration.
Typically treatment starts with simple, noninvasive steps.
If these are not successful, your healthcare provider will gradually progress your treatment.
De carli A, Pulcinelli F, Rose GD, Pitino D, Ferretti A.Calcific tendinitis of the shoulder.Joints.
2014;2(3):130-6.
