De quervain's tenosynovitis
From Ganfyd
 | the site of injection is quite superficial and there is a risk of steroid that comes back to lie under the skin producing an ugly depressed scar. |
Pain and swelling at the radial side of the wrist, where two tendons to the thumb run through a restricted tendon sheath. Occurs following repetitive movement of the wrist and thumb and can be quite incapacitating at least for normal work. Treatment is by ice and topical NSAID gel to the area, a splint to lay the hand and thumb into, and very often by steroid injection into the cuff of tendon sheath that is inflamed.
Physical treatment with transverse friction massage is reported to be effective.
A proportion[1] of patients require surgery, an incision of the tight sheath.
Anatomy
The tendons involved are abductor pollicis longus and extensor pollicis brevis. Both act to abduct the thumb from the hand. The arrangement of tendon sheaths is quite variable.
Diagnosis
From the history and examination. Finkelstein's test may be helpful.
