DeQuervain's Tendonitis

DeQuervain's Tendonitis Cause

Dequervains tenosynovitis is tendonitis of the outter thumb tendon. It is caused by repetitive movement of the thumb tendon sheath which scrapes along the edge of the radial styloid bone at the base of the thumb fraying and irritating it. It is more common in repetitive jobs like assembly lines, hammering, typing etc. and in females due to softer tendons.

DeQuervain's Tendonitis Symptoms

• Pain over the side of your thumb
• Weakness of the thumb
• Thinning of thumb muscles
• Tingling or numbness in the thumb
• Trouble opening jars, door knobs, and using a keyboard.

Finkelstein test for DeQuervain's Tendonitis

Finkelstein's test helps differentiate dequervain's tendonitis from other causes of thumb pain like arthritis. Your doctor taps over the side of your wrist. A positive test will cause pain to shoot down from your wrist into your thumb.

Dequervains Treatment

• Rest from repetitive wrist and thumb movements
• Occupational work station assessment.
• Forced immobilization with a Dequervain's wrist thumb splint
• Heat therapy
• Ultrasound therapy
• Physiotherapy
• NSAID anti inflammtories like aspirin, ibuprofen and indomethacin taken by mouth or applied to the tendon by gel.
• Cortisone injection into the thumb tendon. This anti inflammatory cools off the tendonitis.
• Surgery tendon release is performed for severe cases of Dequervains tendonitis.

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