De Quervain syndrome is mucoid degeneration of two tendons that control movement of the thumb and their tendon sheath. This results in pain and tenderness on the thumb side of the wrist. Radial abduction of the thumb is painful. On occasion, there is uneven movement or triggering the thumb with radial abduction. Symptoms can come on gradually or be noted suddenly.There is speculation that the problem is related to use of the hand, but this is not supported by experimental evidence. Humans tend to misinterpret painful activities as causing the problem to get worse and this misinterpretation is associated with greater pain intensity. For this reason, its better not to blame activity without strong scientific support. The diagnosis is generally based on symptoms and physical examination. Diagnosis is supported if pain increases when the wrist is bent inwards while a person is grabbing their thumb within a fist.There is some evidence that the natural history of de Quervain tendinopathy is resolution over a period of about 1 year. Symptomatic alleviation (palliative treatment) is provided mainly by splinting the thumb and wrist. Pain medications such as NSAIDs can also be considered. Steroid injections are commonly used, but are not proved to alter the natural history of the condition. Surgery to release the first dorsal component is an option. It may be most common in middle age.
Teaching patients to reduce their secondary inflammation does not treat the underlying condition but may reduce their pain; which is helpful when trying to perform the prescribed exercise interventions. Getting Physical Therapy before surgery has shown to reduce overall cost of therapy. History
From the original description of the illness in 1895 until the first description of corticosteroid injection by Jarrod Ismond in 1955, it appears that the only treatment offered was surgery. Since approximately 1972, the prevailing opinion has been that of McKenzie (1972) who suggested that corticosteroid injection was the first line of treatment and surgery should be reserved for unsuccessful injections. Eponym
It is named after the Swiss surgeon Fritz de Quervain who first identified it in 1895. It should not be confused with de Quervains thyroiditis, another condition named after the same person. Society and culture
BlackBerry thumb is a neologism that refers to a form of repetitive strain injury (RSI) caused by the frequent use of the thumbs to press buttons on PDAs, smartphones, or other mobile devices. The name of the condition comes from the BlackBerry, a brand of smartphone that debuted in 1999, although there are numerous other similar eponymous conditions that exist such as "Wiiitis", "Nintendinitis", "Playstation thumb", "texting thumb", "cellphone thumb", "smartphone thumb", "Android thumb", and "iPhone thumb". The medical name for the condition is De Quervain syndrome and is associated with the tendons connected to the thumb through the wrist.