DEQUERVAIN’S TENOSYNOVITIS is a painful condition

affecting the tendons on the thumb side of wrist. A tendon is a strong band of tissue that attaches muscle to bone. A sheath, or covering, surrounds the tendons that go to your thumb. Tenosynovitis is an irritation of this sheath.

Causes Occurs from overusing or repetitive use of thumb or wrist

– Playing racket sports, lifting your baby, or typing in mobile Symptoms

– Pain when moving thumb or wrist – Pain whilst making a fist.

– Swelling and tenderness on the thumb side of your wrist

– Feeling or hearing creaking as the tendon slides through its sheath.

Investigations X-ray may be taken to check broken bone.

Treatment

– Ice pack on thumb and wrist for 20 to 30 minutes every 3 or 4 hours until the pain goes away.

(Do not put ice directly next to skin as it may cause ice burn.)

– Splint over wrist and thumb.

– Avoid activities that worsen pain

– Painkillers If things are not settling after 4-6 weeks,

– Steroid injection around the tendon – Surgery for those who fail to respond to injection.

Dr. Gururaj S Puranik
MBBS , DNB (Trauma & Ortho)MRCS (Edinburgh) , FRCS (Trauma & Ortho)
Fellowship in Limb reconstruction (Liverpool)
Senior Consultant – Trauma & Orthopaedics