Tito - I have some bad news for you - a calcium deposit is another term for a bone spur which I know plenty about since I have them on both big knuckles of my feet; well one now because the shifting side has already been removed and the brake side will be removed on March 26th. Your pain is coming directly from this spur pushing into nerves and muscle. I tried to ignore it and hoped it would just go away, I tried cortisone shots hoping that it was just inflammation, but the bottom line is they are calcium bone spurs that keep growing and hurt more & more.
I went to my podiatrist and he took x-rays and said you have a bone spur. He said he couldn't tell me how he was going to fix it until he cut me open. He said there were 2 options. He could open it up and shave off the bone spur or if that wasn't a possibility he would change the knuckle for a titanium knuckle which was only going to be good for 15 years. Red Flags went up in my mind - "Danger Will Robinson, Danger" Correct me if I'm wrong, I thought Titanium is non corrosive and should last longer than the planet Earth! So this didn't make sense and I was off for a 2nd opinion.
There is a famous Orthopedic & Neuro Surgery Center in Greenwich CT called ONS
http://www.onsmd.com/
They are located in Greenwich Office Park in the same complex where our fund use to be. We have since moved across US 1 to the other side but it is still walking distance for me. I knew that they had high-end Greenwich doctors there as well as a complete Physical Therapy facility on their 3rd floor so I went in and asked if they had any doctor who was a sports specialist in Golf or Tennis because both my shoulders hurt as well – and still do to this day. The girl at the front desk said you want to see Dr. Cunningham because he is an avid golfer and a shoulder / arm expert. I made an appointment and he met him a week later. He took x-rays and saw inflammation so he gave me a cortisone shot and I continued playing golf for the season but the shot only lasted about 2 months before I was in pain again. He prescribed PT and I went there for like 4 weeks and although it seemed to help strengthen my shoulder it didn’t take the pain away. So I got another shot. The other arm began to act up as well so I got a shot there as well. Let’s move right along – the shots are band-aids and the real permanent solution is to go into each shoulder one at a time and find out what is going on and fix it once and for all. I do not think it is a full Rotator Cuff tear but I’m certain that it is close to that area so after my feet are done I will see Dr. Cunningham for a surgery assessment. I will probably begin to think about the shoulders in the late Fall of 2008 right after the riding season ends
Anyway, I liked this facility so much that I went to them for a 2nd opinion about my feet and that is when I was introduced to Dr Clain (who is quite arguably one of the best foot surgeons in Fairfield County). I have no idea how much these specialists cost because I am completely covered on everything minus a $200 yearly deductable under my wife’s Aetna umbrella provided by her company and ONS participates with them – lucky for me! If you are covered and want to get a 2nd opinion from one of the best places around you’re welcomed to come up here and we can meet and go over there for a consultation. I know the feeling of the shoulder pain – it is not fun, and it ain’t going away! I have to address it myself but the most painful issue was my feet so I wisely addressed this first so at least I can walk. The shoulders are next and then I think I should be fairly pain free.
John