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Conditions — calcific periarthritis

Conditions — calcific periarthritis: this condition guide covers what people in the UK most often ask about conditions — calcific periarthritis. Written in plain English and reviewed by a First Contact Practitioner (HCPC PH128483).

What is Calcific Periarthritis?

Calcific periarthritis is a sudden, intensely painful inflammation of the soft tissue around a joint, caused by deposits of calcium hydroxyapatite crystals forming inside a tendon or its surrounding tissue. The shoulder is by far the most common site — usually the supraspinatus tendon of the rotator cuff — but it can also affect the hip, wrist, finger, knee or foot.

Unlike osteoarthritis, the joint surface itself is usually healthy. The pain comes from the body's inflammatory reaction as the deposit forms and then breaks down. Attacks typically peak over 1–2 weeks and settle over 6–12 weeks, and in most people the calcium deposit eventually resorbs on its own. It is most common between the ages of 30 and 60 and slightly more common in women.

Symptoms

  • Sudden, severe pain around the shoulder or another joint, often waking you at night
  • Pain that comes on over hours to a couple of days with no injury
  • Marked loss of movement — lifting the arm above shoulder height may be almost impossible
  • Local warmth, swelling and tenderness over the tendon rather than the joint line
  • Pain lying on the affected side
  • In milder cases, a nagging ache and catching sensation with overhead activity
  • Occasionally a mild fever and raised inflammatory markers, which can mimic infection

When to see a GP

If you have persistent joint pain, swelling or stiffness, book a GP appointment. Early diagnosis means earlier access to the right care and better long-term outcomes.

Causes & Risk Factors

  • Calcium hydroxyapatite crystal deposition within a tendon, then an inflammatory flare as it resorbs
  • Repetitive overhead loading of the rotator cuff — sport, manual work, decorating
  • Reduced local blood supply and age-related tendon change (most common at 30–60)
  • Diabetes and thyroid disorders — both raise the risk noticeably
  • Kidney disease and disorders of calcium or phosphate handling
  • Female sex and a previous episode on the other side

Treatment & Management

  • NSAIDs (ibuprofen, naproxen) with stomach protection — first-line for the acute flare
  • Relative rest and ice for the first few days, avoiding overhead loading
  • Ultrasound-guided steroid injection for pain that does not settle with tablets
  • Barbotage (needle lavage) — an ultrasound-guided procedure that breaks up and washes out the deposit
  • Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) for persistent deposits
  • Physiotherapy once the acute pain eases, to restore range and rotator-cuff strength
  • Surgery (arthroscopic removal) is rarely needed and reserved for long-standing, disabling cases

Best Diet

No diet dissolves a calcium deposit, and cutting calcium out of your diet does not help — it weakens bone without changing the tendon. What diet can do is dampen the inflammatory response and support the conditions linked to recurrence.

Eat more

  • Oily fish (salmon, sardines, mackerel) twice a week for omega-3
  • Fruit, vegetables, wholegrains, olive oil, nuts and pulses
  • Adequate protein to support tendon repair and muscle around the joint

Limit

  • Ultra-processed food, refined sugar and sugary drinks
  • Alcohol, particularly while taking NSAIDs

If you have diabetes or a thyroid condition, keeping it well controlled is one of the few things shown to reduce the chance of a further episode.

Exercise & Movement

During the acute attack, stop overhead loading — pushing through it prolongs the flare. As pain eases, graded movement prevents the shoulder stiffening into a frozen state.

  • Pendulum swings and passive range-of-movement work in the first two weeks
  • Assisted elevation with a stick or the other arm as pain allows
  • Isometric rotator-cuff holds before progressing to resistance bands
  • Scapular setting and postural work to offload the cuff
  • Gradual return to overhead lifting only once full pain-free range has returned

Frequently Asked Questions

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Pair Calcific Periarthritis care with the right resources

Use these guides alongside your treatment plan — diet, movement, flare management and other conditions worth knowing about.

Anti-inflammatory diet

Exercise & physiotherapy

Flare-ups & support

Other conditions

Continue Reading

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Clinically reviewed · Louis Maxwell, HCPC PH128483 · 17 September 2026

Educational information for people in the UK living with arthritis — not a diagnosis or personal medical advice. Check medicines and exercises with your GP, pharmacist or rheumatology team. For emergencies call 999; for urgent advice use NHS 111. See our medical disclaimer, editorial standards and claims policy.

This is general information, not a substitute for personalised medical advice.