De Quervain’s tenosynovitis is a painful condition. It directly affects the tendons on the thumb side of your wrist. It hurts most when you turn your wrist, try to grasp anything, or even make a fist.

When it comes to treatment, you can consult your doctor. It is one of the good ways to recover from this condition rapidly. You can also go with de Quervain’s tenosynovitis home treatment.

Home treatment is effective in most cases. But before beginning with the home treatment you should be sure about this condition.

For that, you have to run a diagnosis.

Diagnosis:

When it comes to diagnosis, Finkelstein is the most common test that is performed by your doctor. During this test, the doctor will ask you to bend your thumb across the palm of your hand and bend your fingers down over your thumb.

Once done with this, you will be asked to bend your wrist towards your little finger. While going through this process, if you felt pain on the thumb side of your wrist. This is likely the case of de Quervain’s tenosynovitis.

In simple words, your doctor will examine your hand. This is to verify if you feel pain when pressure is applied on the thumb side of the wrist. If you feel pressure, it is likely a case of de Quervain’s tenosynovitis.

You must know that there is no need to go for imaging tests such as X-rays to diagnose this condition.

Now once the diagnosis is completed. Then comes the treatment.

Treatment:

The treatment of de Quervain’s tenosynovitis is done with a motive of reducing the inflammation, preserving movement in the thumb, and preventing recurrence.

Here time plays a crucial role. If you begin treatment at the early stages, the symptoms are likely to improve within 4 – 6 weeks. On the other hand, if the treatment for de Quervain’s tenosynovitis starts during the pregnancy, then the symptoms are likely to end around either the competition of pregnancy or breast-feeding.

When it comes to treatment, there is medication, therapy, surgery, etc. 

Medication:

When it comes to medication, your doctor will recommend counter-pain relievers. This is to reduce your pain and swelling. Your doctor can also recommend some injections for the same.

Surgery: 

When your case will become more serious, your orthopaedic surgeon will more likely go with surgery. Surgery involves a complete procedure. The doctor will go with an inspection of the sheath surrounding the involved tendons. Once the inspection is completed, the doctor will open the sheath to release the pressure. This is to help your tendons to glide freely.

Although these procedures are professional, you have to face a lot, especially during surgery; it will also cost you more money. But in most cases, home treatment pays well. It is also one of the effective techniques.

Home treatment:

De Quervain’s tenosynovitis can be treated at home itself.

• You can go with rest or cold packs.
• You must take utter care to avoid reinjuring the strained tendon at the wrist.
• It is good to avoid repetitive thumb movements as much as possible.
• Avoid pinching with your thumb especially when you move your wrist from side to side.
• You must immobilize both your thumb and wrist. It is good to keep them straight with a splint or base. This will keep your tendons at rest.
• It is good to stay hydrated.

Although these measures will help you a lot in treatment. If you are looking for permanent relief you should go with exercise. Exercise is a good way for de Quervain’s tenosynovitis home treatment.

You can go with a couple of easy stretches. These stretches must perform a couple of times a day in the beginning.

• Stretching the muscle between the thumb and the palm is also a good way to go. The thing is, inflammation and irritation of the tendons in de Quervain’s tenosynovitis often destabilize the base of the thumb. Thus it becomes weak and creates difficulty in using it effectively. 

You can ease this stress at the base thumb joint by both stretching and massaging the muscles and tissues. As these are the one that holds it in place. For this grab your afflicted thumb with your other hand. Now pull the thumb away from your palm. Perform this for about 10 to 15 seconds and then release.

• You can stretch the tendons that control the thumb. They also pass through the wrist and are the ones that cause the problem. For this, you need to hold your hand in a relaxed fist. Then you have to flex your wrist downward. Just give a relaxing stretch for about 10 to 15 seconds and then release.

Conclusion: De Quervain’s tenosynovitis is a common problem that basically occurs due to our involvement in daily activity. It is nothing to worry about, especially if you came to know this at the early stages. There are many ways to treat it. Home treatment is one among them and is effective.