Tuesday 1 October 2013

THE PAINFUL CALCIUM DEPOSIT


The pain

Around four months ago, I felt a mild pain in my shoulder but I just ignored it as any other normal pain that would subside gradually.
I am a very active person and considering this fact I did not give much heed to the problem, which was now getting worse. But after around 10 days, my condition deteriorated so much that I could not lift my arm even a bit.

Calcium deposit

The time for a visit to the orthopaedic specialist had come. The problem diagnosed by the doctor was an eye opener for me. He said the pain was due to calcific tendonitis of the shoulder which meant a small calcium deposit at the shoulder-arm joint. The deposit can be formed in any part of the body or joint. According to the doctor, calcium tendonitis results from Vitamin D3 deficiency. The body forms these deposits as a signal to show that it needs the sunshine vitamin which is essential for proper functioning of bones.

Vitamin D3 deficiency

Vitamin D3 deficiency can make one feel low and depressed and can also cause irritability, apart from causing normal pain in bones and joints.
A person suffers from Vitamin D3 deficiency due to various reasons. But in my case, the problem was triggered by hyperthyroidism. As I was suffering from hyperthyroidism for the past one year, Vitamin D3 was being flushed out from my body. Things became worse because I was not taking the Vitamin D3 supplements as advised by my endocrinologist. It all went on to make a complete circle. Hyperthyroidism in triggers a lot of complications, but ignoring little things can blow up the problem. So we should be careful that hyperthyroidism doesn’t open windows to other troubles.

Line of treatment

Strong painkillers, ice fomentation and rest to my arm were few things advised by my doctor. He said if the pain didn’t subside through medicines and physiotherapy, the deposit would have had to be sucked out through saline water.
So, initially the doctor put me on medicines and once the pain decreased a bit, I was sent for physiotherapy sessions, along with ice fomentation. But this healing touch failed to show its magic as the pain increased once again, forcing the doctor to halt the physiotherapy sessions and increase my doses of the painkiller.
The shooting pain had brought my life to a grinding halt. I was not even able to sleep as the sleeping posture pulled the deposit downwards, thus increasing my pain. The doctors advised me to sleep in half-sitting posture with pillows all around the arm. This went on for five days.
Once the pain reduced, I resumed my 30-minute physiotherapy sessions that lasted for 10 days, along with exercises at home. By now the doctor had also put me off medication.

 Lesson

It was a harrowing experience but I think I had invited it myself and that too due to my carelessness. I took my first problem very lightly and did not take the cholecalciferol supplements to meet the needs of my body. Thankfully, I did not need the syringe to suck out the calcium deposit. Now, it is not posing any further problem, but it will remain a part of me forever, may be to keep reminding me or scaring me!

 

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