Calcium deposits, an ailment known as calcinosis, are the aggregation and clumping of calcium phosphate crystals in the tissues of the body. There are three main types of calcinosis. The most common type is dystrophic calcification, which mainly occurs after soft tissue damage. Soft tissue damage is generally a bruise or injury to muscle; the calcium deposits form in the injured tissue. The second type, metastatic calcification, results from an excess of systemic calcium that can be caused by kidney failure, excess or lack of certain minerals, and a host of other causes. Metastatic calcium deposits most often form in muscle and connective tissue. Tumoral calcinosis--or globular calcifications near the joints--is rare and the cause is not entirely understood. Calcium deposits begin as soft, toothpaste-like globules on bone, skin and other collagen-containing tissues. The longer the deposits persist, the larger they grow and harder they become. With growth, they can become inflamed and painful. The only treatment to reduce calcium deposits is arthroscopic surgery. However, in some cases the pain caused by calcium deposits may be reduced without complete removal of the deposit.
Instructions
1. Consume the recommended dose of an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medicine and apply ice packs to the area of the calcium deposit. Temporary immobilization of the joint may also provide short-term pain relief.
2. If pain continues and becomes more frequent, seek out a physical therapist to get an evaluation and a range-of-motion exercise program. Range-of-motion exercises prevent stiffening of the joints afflicted by the calcium deposits, increasing mobility and reducing pain.
3. If pain persists after physical therapy treatment, see a physician. The physician will inject the calcium deposit with cortisone or a similar drug. This injection should relieve the pain within a couple of hours. If the problem persists, the physician may recommend arthroscopic surgery.
4. Schedule an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon to have arthroscopic surgery for treatment and removal of the calcium deposit. Arthroscopic surgery is a minimally invasive procedure during which the physician removes the calcium deposit through an arthroscope by way of a small skin incision. In most cases once the deposit is removed, it does not return. However, new calcium deposits may form around the same joint or area. Take the recommended dose of anti-inflammatory medication and apply ice packs to the incision site after the surgery to reduce pain and swelling.
Tags: calcium deposits, calcium deposit, arthroscopic surgery, apply packs, calcium deposits form
