IF IT HURTS EVERY TIME you turn your wrist, grasp anything, or make a fist, you may suffer from de Quervain’s syndrome. The exact cause isn’t known, but any repetitive hand or wrist movement produces a sharp pain in your wrist.
Dr. Harris will test you for deQuervain’s syndrome with Finkelstein’s test: bend your thumb across the palm of your hand, grip your fingers around your thumb and bend your wrist toward your little finger. If this causes pain on the thumb side of your wrist, you likely have de Quervain’s Syndrome.
Surgery and recovery
De Quervain’s Syndrome is a very common condition that is easily corrected. It is usually treated with steroid injections, but if that is unsuccessful, a simple operation can release the ligament pinching the tendon. This operation is performed on an outpatient basis under local anesthesia.
