The name attributed to some conditions can just turn out to be very scary before you even know what the condition is about. Have you ever heard of the condition "DeQuervain's Tenosynovitis"?
Let me begin with a short story. A few months after I had my baby, I realized my wrist began to dislocate. I became very careful with the things I used my hand for because of the fear of possible dislocation, which was a painful experience too.
Image source
When I spoke to a nurse about it, she told me how several nursing mothers had come to complain about the same thing in the hospital where she worked.
According to her, it must have happened with the consistency of placing our baby on that hand.
I have had a way of managing my hand since then, but can this happen to only nursing mothers? And other nursing mothers do not experience the same thing, so why does it have to happen to some of us? These were questions that filled my mind.
Since the condition affects the tendons, then let’s learn a bit about how the tendon functions. Tendons link the muscles to the bones; they are cords of strong and flexible tissues.
When a muscle is squeezed, tendons would pull the bones they are attached to and cause them to move. Two tendons connect the thumb to the wrist.
Image source
Normally, tendons smoothly slide through a sheath, which is a tunnel of tissue. When something happens, and the sheath around the thumb tendons swells or thickens, then we have the condition called “Quervain’s tenosynovitis.”.
The occurrence of the swelling creates extra friction whenever the thumb or wrist is used. This makes motion more difficult and painful.
The condition usually creates pain at the base of the thumb, but it can easily extend to the forearm as well. The most common cause of the condition in question is mostly an overuse of the arm.
Activities like playing the piano, golfing, carpentry, and other jobs that have to do with the overuse of the arm causes it
Mothers of new borms have also been reported to experience the condition a lot after consistently lifting babies with their thumbs. Tendon inflammation can happen due to consistency in gripping, grasping, and wringing of objects.
Myxoid degeneration is the process by which connective tissues are replaced by a gelatinous substance, and that is another possible causative factor.
Pain in the wrist or on both sides of the thumb is the most common symptom experienced by affected people. It is possible to notice the pain at once or slowly realize it over time. The pain will get worse while using the hand, thumb, or wrist.
It spreads from the wrist into the forearm and then gets worse while gripping, holding on, or pinching an object.
Anyone can develop DeQuervain's tenosynovitis, but it is more common amongst females, people who are older than 40 years old, parents who have younger kids, athletes, and those who consistently do manual labor.
Image source
When you go in for treatment, a medical expert would most likely suggest treatment options that will help manage the symptoms experienced while the tendons and the sheaths heal. The most common treatment options include;
Icing the wrist to help reduce swelling and relieve pain. You may be advised to wear a splint or brace, as this will keep the wrist and thumb held in a fixed position while pressure is taken off the thumb tendons.
Rest is also advised, especially away from activities that have you engaging the affected regions. Over-the-counter pain relief can also be prescribed to help with the pain felt.
Usually, affected patients should begin to feel better after a few weeks, but if symptoms fail to get better after a few weeks, then experts would recommend surgery for possible treatment.
For Further Studies
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK442005/
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/10915-de-quervains-tendinosis
https://www.physio-pedia.com/De_Quervain%27s_Tenosynovitis
https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases--conditions/de-quervains-tendinosis
Hi, I am Tobi, a writer, speaker, relationship blogger, and lover of good music. I love making friends and learning from people.
Thanks for your contribution to the STEMsocial community. Feel free to join us on discord to get to know the rest of us!
Please consider delegating to the @stemsocial account (85% of the curation rewards are returned).
Thanks for including @stemsocial as a beneficiary, which gives you stronger support.