HealthInfo West Coast-Te Tai Poutini
Treating de Quervain's tenosynovitis
Te whakarauora i te iohere whakawaikura a De Quervain
De Quervain's tenosynovitis is not a serious condition. But it is a very annoying one that can limit what you can do and may even affect your ability to do your job.
Self-care for de Quervain's tenosynovitis
There are several things you can do to help.
- Rest your hand and thumb as much as possible for 4 to 6 weeks. This should reduce the inflammation, which may be enough to solve the problem. Try this first, as it works for most people.
- Avoid any repetitive or heavy activities that use your thumb and hand and make it worse. These can include things such as working in the garden, DIY tasks, carrying a baby and some manual work.
- Try wearing a splint that stops your thumb and wrist from moving (called a thumb spica splint). This can help you rest your thumb tendons. The splint keeps your thumb slightly bent, as it would naturally be when it is relaxed. It must also allow your wrist to work properly. Try wearing one at night and during any activity that makes the pain worse. You can buy thumb splints in pharmacies, sports shops, or from a hand therapist.
- If your other hand is pain free, use it more often.
- Ask someone else to do the activities that really hurt.
- Trying new ways of doing things can make a big difference. For example, when picking up a pēpi (baby), try scooping them up under their bottom instead of lifting them from under their arms. Keep your palms facing up and use your forearms to distribute the weight.
- If they are safe for you to use, you can take paracetamol (Panadol) or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) such as ibuprofen (Nurofen) for pain. If you are not sure whether you can take these, ask your general practice team.
Treating de Quervain's tenosynovitis
If resting for 4 to 6 weeks does not work, your general practice team may be able to give you a steroid injection. Injecting steroids into your hand's tendon sheath will reduce the inflammation. You might need a second injection if the first one does not help. Steroid injections work for about 70 to 80% of people.
Your general practice team may give you the injection themselves. Or they may refer you to another general practice team or specialist for this treatment.
Steroid injections are so effective that it is unlikely you will need surgery for de Quervain's tenosynovitis. But if you have had 2 steroid injections and still have wrist and thumb pain, you may need surgery.
Your general practice team can refer you to a plastic surgeon or orthopaedic surgeon.
Surgery aims to release the tendon sheath so the tendon can glide more easily. It is done under a local anaesthetic injection that numbs the area while you are still awake.
Written by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Last reviewed November 2024.
SourcesReview key: HIDQT-329615
