De Quervain's Tenosynovitis | Te Whatu Ora | Health New Zealand | Hauora a Toi Bay of Plenty
Hauora a Toi Bay of Plenty
Health and support Health, wellbeing services and advice Orthopaedic injuries De Quervain's Tenosynovitis

De Quervain's Tenosynovitis

On this page

What has happened?

  • You may have a condition called De Quervain's tenosynovitis - this is a painful condition affecting the tendons in the thumb and side of the wrist
  • This is a relatively common condition and usually affects the dominant wrist (writing hand)
  • It can be caused by overuse or injury

What should I expect?

  • This is a painful condition, with pain worsening when gripping or raising objects and as the day progresses
  • It may take several months for symptoms to improve

What should I do?

  • This condition is managed initially with resting the wrist, which can be helped by a thumb splint
  • You do not need to wear the splint at all times, it is for your own comfort
  • Take regular non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen, as needed. It my take 2-4 weeks before an improvement in your symptoms is noted

What should I not do?

  • There are no specific limitations on what you can and cannot do

Will I be followed up?

  • No, these injuries often settle without further treatment
  • If you are experiencing ongoing significant pain after a few weeks of treatment, please see your GP to determine if a referral to orthopaedics is appropriate
  • Occasionally you may need further treatment from the orthopaedic team

What if I have concerns/questions?

  • If your injury is not settling after 6 weeks or you have other concerns, you should see your GP first - take your ACC form/number with you if you have it