Does cortisone injection treat calcific tendinitis?

Calcific tendinitis usually involves a calcium deposit within a shoulder tendon. Irritation around the deposit can make reaching, dressing, or sleeping on that side difficult. Cortisone can quiet the surrounding inflammation and provide a window for movement, but the deposit may remain. An examination and imaging help confirm its position and distinguish this problem from a tear or another shoulder condition.

Begin with advice on activity modification, pain relief, and gentle shoulder movement. If symptoms continue, ask about options that specifically target the deposit, such as image-guided needling or shockwave treatment, when appropriate. If an injection is offered, clarify whether it is intended for short-term symptom control and how it will be coordinated with physiotherapy.

Seek prompt care after a sudden loss of shoulder strength, a new deformity, or severe pain after an injury. Contact a clinician urgently for fever, spreading redness, or increasing warmth after an injection. Persistent night pain or inability to use the arm deserves assessment even without an emergency warning sign.

Where is the deposit, and is the tendon intact? Is the injection for inflammation only? Which treatment could address the deposit if pain continues?