De Quervain Tendinitis

De Quervain tendinitis occurs when the tendon running from the back of your thumb down the side of your wrist becomes swollen or irritated. This causes pain, swelling, numbness or stiffness.

Causes

De Quervain tendinitis is caused by chronic overuse of your wrist, which causes the tendon to swell or become inflamed. This is often seen in people who play sports such as golf or tennis, and repeatedly lift children or other heavy objects.

Symptoms

Symptoms include:

• Pain in the back of the thumb when making a fist
• Swelling of the wrist
• Numbness in the thumb and index finger
• Stiffness when moving the thumb or wrist

Treatments

De Quervain tendinitis can normally be treated with rest, medication, exercise and changing your activities. If this does not alleviate your symptoms, you may require surgery. Surgery involves cutting the sheath that surrounds the tendons to release pressure so the tendons can move more easily.