Calcification means calcium builds up and hardens in your body’s tissue. The process is normal in bones and teeth. But calcium’s hardening accumulation can happen in other tissue as well. This development is abnormal and can cause health problems.
Abnormal calcification may result after an inflammatory response to damaged tissue. Other causes believed to be associated with calcium build up in the wrong spots are:
- aging
- acidosis
- infection
- alcoholism
- hypercalcemia
- vitamin D toxicity
- vitamin K deficiency
- autoimmune disorder
- magnesium deficiency
In some cases, the cause of calcification is unidentifiable.
Calcium is found deposited in various body parts, including arteries, kidneys, lungs, liver, brain, breasts, joints, muscles and skin. Hardened calcium can manifest or be a complicating factor in many health conditions, for instance:
- arthritis
- cataracts
- bone spurs
- osteoporosis
- kidney stones
- atherosclerosis
- dental problems
- myositis ossificans
Depending on where calcification occurs, it can cause no symptoms or very painful ones.
In some cases, calcification can be arrested or even reduced. Correcting malnutrition, detoxing off alcohol or treating an underlying disease are some of the avenues for treatment.
