De Quervain’s disease

What is it:

It’s an inflammation of the tendons that extend and move the thumb away from the hand. It causes very intense pain, located in the wrist, at the base of the thumb during gripping movements, and makes the simplest daily activities difficult. This tendinitis hardly ever puts itself right and tends to become chronic.

It is most common among mothers holding their new-born baby, musicians with hand muscle-tendon tensions and other work activities.

 

Recommended treatment:

Initially conservative treatment is indicated, such as immobilisation and eventual corticosteroid infiltration. In resistant cases surgery is necessary to free the tendons.  This lasts about 10 minutes under local anaesthetic and in a Day Hospital Regime

The incision in the wrist is small and closed with an small absorbable stitch that does not require removal; the mobilization of the hand is immediate but the dressing must be maintained for about 10 days. Subsequently, it is recommended to perform simple physiotherapy exercises to promote the healing of the inflamed tendons.

De Quervain