DE QUERVIAN TENOSYNOVITIS
DE QUERVIAN TENOSYNOVITIS
When tendons present inside of the thumbs get inflamed, they cause pain while moving the wrist. The condition is known as De Quervian tenosynovitis and is very painful, affecting the daily work routine which involves movement of wrist and hand while the cause behind it remains unknown.
Symptoms
Symptoms include:
- Base of the thumb is enlarged
- Movements like pinching, holding something get difficult.
- Base of the thumb is painful
- On-and-off movement sensation when moving a thumb
If appropriate treatment is not taken, the pain can increase and includes forearm too.
Causes
De Quervian tenosynovitis usually caused when there is excessive use of the wrist joint.
Some other causes may be:
- Rheumatoid arthritis (inflammation)
- Scar formed after any insult to the tendon or wrist restrict the joint movement.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis requires examination of hand (look for tenderness on joint) and Finkelstein test; bending thumb on the palm and folding fingers on it, then bend the wrist along smallest finger if there is pain towards the medial side of the wrist, the test is positive.
Treatment
If the treatment is started early, the pain starts subsiding within a few weeks.
Medications used are usually pain relieving; naproxen (Aleve) and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others). Some people are also treated with corticosteroid injections.
Additional therapy also includes
- Rubbing ice on the swelling
- Lessen the use of thumb in fine movements
- Application of caliper/brace to provide support to the tendons
Lifestyle and home remedies
Remedies play major role in preventing the disease from increasing.
- Splint should be worn if recommended by a doctor.
- Do not repeat the same movements over and over.
- Do some exercises as recommended by the doctor.
- Carefully observe the changes, symptoms and the movements that are causing it. Tell every detail to your doctor.