De Quervain’s Treatment

De Quervain’s tenosynovitis is a condition that affects the wrist and thumb, causing pain, discomfort, and lost mobility. Especially if your day-to-day life requires extensive use of the wrists and thumbs, this can be a significant hindrance.

What Is De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis?

De Quervain’s tenosynovitis is a condition that impacts the tendons in your wrist and thumb. With this condition, the tendons in this area become inflamed, reducing the amount of space in the narrow tunnel. The inflamed tendons then chafe against the tunnel when the wrist or thumb is moved, causing pain and reduced mobility. 

What Causes De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis?

It can develop for no known reason. However, there are several known risk factors for this condition, including:

  • Thumb and wrist injuries
  • Hobbies that require repeated hand, wrist, and thumb movements, including tennis, gardening, and playing video games
  • Inflammatory arthritis, namely rheumatoid arthritis
  • Caring for a baby, which requires extensive use of the thumbs to lift the baby

What Are the Symptoms?

Common symptoms may include:

  • Reduced mobility in the thumb and wrist
  • A locked or stuck sensation when you try to move your thumb
  • Pain in the wrist and thumb
  • Inflammation in the wrist and thumb

How Is De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis Treated?

Treatment for De Quervain’s tenosynovitis focuses on reducing tendon inflammation to ease pain in the area and allow the thumb and wrist to move freely. If a case of it being caught early on, it may be effectively managed with over-the-counter pain medications, corticosteroid injections, and physical therapy. 

Surgery is often the most effective and long-term solution. This procedure is an outpatient surgery, so you can return home immediately after the procedure.

The surgical procedure to treat De Quervain’s tenosynovitis involves the tissue surrounding the affected tendons. Your doctor will open up this section of tissue to relieve pressure from the inflamed tendons. After the procedure, the tendons will gradually become less inflamed as they’re able to move smoothly, and you’ll regain your full range of motion.

Contact us today to learn more about available treatments.