De Quervain's tenosynovitis

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Tests and diagnosis

By Mayo Clinic staff

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Illustration showing Finkelstein test Finkelstein test

Your doctor may confirm a diagnosis of de Quervain's tenosynovitis by doing a Finkelstein test. In this simple test, you bend your thumb across the palm of your hand and bend your fingers down over your thumb. Then you bend your wrist toward your little finger. If this causes pain on the thumb side of your wrist, the test is considered positive.

If you feel pain about three inches up your forearm, you may have a condition called intersection syndrome. This is similar to de Quervain's tenosynovitis, but affects a different area of your wrist and requires different treatment.

DS00692

April 4, 2008

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