De Quervain's tenosynovitis

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Definition

By Mayo Clinic staff

De Quervain's tenosynovitis (dih-kwer-VAINS ten-oh-sine-oh-VIE-tis) is a painful condition affecting the tendons on the thumb side of your wrist. If you have de Quervain's tenosynovitis, it will probably hurt every time you turn your wrist, grasp anything or make a fist.

Although the exact cause of de Quervain's tenosynovitis isn't known, any activity that relies on repetitive hand or wrist movement — such as working in the garden, playing golf or racket sports or lifting your baby — can make it worse.

References
  1. De Quervain's tendinitis (De Quervain's tendinosis). American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00007. Accessed June 13, 2012.
  2. South-Paul JE, et al. Current Diagnosis & Treatment in Family Medicine. 3rd ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2011. http://www.accessmedicine.com/resourceTOC.aspx?resourceID=52. Accessed June 13, 2012.
  3. Sheon RP, et al. de Quervain's tenosynovitis. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed June 13, 2012.
  4. Bray J, et al. Evaluation of the patient with thumb pain. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed June 13, 2012.
  5. Suttle AL, et al. Disc jockey tenosynovitis. The American Journal of Medicine. 2011; 124:e1.
  6. Peters-Veluthamaningal C, et al. Corticosteroid injection for de Quervain's tenosynovitis. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD005616.pub2/abstract. June 13, 2012.
  7. Amadio PC (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. June 30, 2012.
DS00692 Aug. 1, 2012

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