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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staffThe main signs and symptoms of de Quervain's tenosynovitis are pain and swelling near the base of your thumb. The pain may appear suddenly or may increase over time. If the condition goes too long without treatment, the pain may spread farther into your thumb, back into your forearm or both. Pinching, grasping and other movements of your thumb and wrist aggravate the pain.
Symptoms of de Quervain's tenosynovitis include:
- Pain near the base of your thumb
- Swelling near the base of your thumb
- Numbness in the back of your thumb and index finger, caused by the swollen tendon rubbing on a nerve
- A fluid-filled cyst in the same region as the swelling and pain
- Difficulty moving your thumb and wrist when you're doing activities that involve grasping or pinching
- A "sticking" or "stop-and-go" sensation in your thumb when trying to move it
- A squeaking sound as the tendons try to move back and forth through the inflamed sheaths
