DEQUERVAIN'S TENDINITIS

DeQuervain's disease is a common tendinitis of the wrist.  It is due to the irritation of tendons at the base of the thumb.  The tendons on the thumb side of your wrist travel through a tunnel.  While they normally glide freely through that tunnel, sometimes they can become swollen and rub within the tunnel.

Symptoms include wrist pain, pain with wrist motion and pain with picking up objects.

The diagnosis is based on physical exam findings.

The initial treatment may include a splint that immobilizes the thumb or a steroid injection.   It these measures do not work, surgery may be necessary to open the tunnel the tendons travel through.

The images below are from the American Society for Surgery of the Hand.  Click here to go to their deQuervain's Tendinitis page.