Q: What causes calcium deposits in the lungs? Is there a cure, or can I expect the condition to get progressively worse with time?
A: As a defense mechanism, the body deposits calcium at the sites of inflammation. The calcium walls off the inflammation and may prevent contamination of surrounding tissues. Sometimes the calcium deposits cause more trouble than the inflammation itself; for example, calcific deposits in tendons often cause severe pain.
Lymph glands can also calcify. Such a reaction is common in the lungs and usually results from old, burned-out infection, such as tuberculosis and fungus inflammation. These deposits are not painful and are usually discovered accidentally in a chest X-ray. The calcium itself needs no treatment and progresses slowly, if at all. The important consideration is to make sure there is no active infection needing antibiotic therapy.
