De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis is a painful condition that affects the tendons on the thumb side of your wrist. Tendons are rope-like structures that the muscle uses to pull the bone. You can see them on the back of your hand when you straighten your fingers. This condition causes inflammation of the sheath, or synovium that surrounds the two tendons that run between the wrist and the thumb. As the synovium thickens, it becomes painful for the person to move their thumb.
The exact cause in unknown, but any activity that relies on repetitive hand or wrist movement will cause this pain. Such as holding children, gardening, tennis, or playing golf. Other causes might be repetitive grasping, arthritis, overuse, or a direct blow to the thumb.
Common symptoms:
- Pain near the base of your thumb
- Tenderness or swelling
- Numbness
- A snapping feeling when you move your thumb
- Reduced grip strength
If De Quervain’s tenosynovitis is left without any treatment, the pain may spread further from the base of the thumb into the thumb, up the forearm, or both. The goal of treatment for De Quervain’s tenosynovitis is to reduce the inflammation of the tendons and synovial sheaths, so that the tendons can move freely through the synovium again.
Immobilizing your thumb and wrist, keeping them straight with a splint or brace will help rest your tendons. You can try applying ice the effected area. Avoid activities that cause pain and swelling. Especially avoid those that involve repetitive hand and wrist motions.
Whether the pain is caused from overuse, or injury, the Benefab® Therapeutic Gloves create an easy to use solution. Featuring a 3” wrist rise, they are beneficial for pain extending into the wrist as well. Designed finger-less for easy completion of daily activities, they are also thin enough to be used as a liner to a standard winter glove for warmth. All the benefits of pressure gloves without the discomfort of compression! Glove fabric is infused with far-infrared rays keeping muscles, joints, tendons, and ligaments supple and relaxed. They help harmonize bodily functions safely and naturally stimulating recovery time, promoting blood circulation, increasing oxygen flow, and ultimately reducing pain and stiffness.
