De Quervain’s tenosynovitis refers to a painful inflammation (swelling) of the tendons where your thumb meets your wrist. Sometimes called De Quervain’s tendinosis, the condition causes discomfort when moving your wrist or closing your hand. While the condition is rare, affecting only around 1% of individuals in the U.S., De Quervain’s is the most common form of tenosynovitis. Speak with an orthopedic expert at Bayhealth.
Signs and Symptoms
Most cases of De Quervain’s tenosynovitis result in pain and swelling around your wrist on the thumb side, which in turn limits your range of motion. Severe cases of De Quervain’s tenosynovitis may cause pain throughout the forearm as well. Other symptoms include numbness, stiffness and difficulty grasping objects.
Risk Factors and Prevention
Although exact causes for De Quervain’s tenosynovitis are not always known, the following factors may increase the risk of developing the condition.
- Age: Individuals between the ages of 30 and 50 are at greater risk.
- Gender: Women have an increased risk of developing the condition compared to men.
- Movement: Individuals who do repetitive motions with their hands or wrists for extended periods of time each day—such as during manual labor—have a heightened risk of developing De Quervain’s tenosynovitis.
How We Diagnose De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis
Our orthopedic experts use the following procedures to diagnose De Quervain’s tenosynovitis.
- Physical Exam: In most cases, our experts can accurately diagnose De Quervain’s tenosynovitis by examining the physical symptoms of the condition.
- X-ray: A common medical imaging procedure, X-rays use radiation to capture colorless images of your bones, joints and soft tissue.
Treatment Options
While most cases of De Quervain’s tenosynovitis go away on their own, our experts may provide treatment if the condition causes discomfort or limits movement. Conservative treatment approaches include icing the affected area and wearing a wrist splint to keep the joint from moving. Severe cases may require corticosteroid injections to relieve pain and swelling.
Speak with an orthopedic expert about De Quervain’s tenosynovitis.