Tendonitis is an inflammatory disease in which the connective tissue and thin membrane that connects bones and muscles and synovial fluid, a fluid that helps the natural movement of muscles, become inflamed. It can occur in all parts of our body such as the wrist, knee, shoulder, and fingers, and it is known that it occurs most at the base of the wrist and thumb, which is one of the most actively moving parts. Tendonitis of the wrist is also called de Quervain syndrome, after the Swiss doctor who first introduced the disease.
Carpal tendonitis is known to be caused by excessive repetitive movements of the wrist and fingers. It has been known to occur a lot when you use your hands a lot or when you repeatedly hold your hands tightly in a posture with your wrists facing toward the blades of your hands. As a cause of this occurrence, it is said that the incidence rate is high in occupational groups who do a lot of related tasks such as computer and typing tasks that use a lot of hands, or housewives with long housework hours, especially middle-aged women.
And in recent years, it is known that the increase in usage of various smart devices, including smartphones, has a great influence on the occurrence. As the usage time of these smartphones increases, the incidence of wrist tendonitis is also increasing every year. In addition, various diseases and factors such as rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, obesity, and smoking also act as causes of occurrence, and rapid hormonal changes are also the cause, which is reported to have a high incidence in pregnant women. Now, let’s learn more about the main symptoms, treatment and prevention of wrist tendonitis in more detail.
The main symptoms of carpal tunnelitis
When tendonitis develops, the main symptoms may be tenderness that is painful when pressed and localized pain. It can also cause pain and swelling of the hay area, which can lead to red, swollen, hot sensations, and weakness in muscle strength. And these symptoms, such as pain and swelling, become more severe when the amount of exercise increases, and when the condition worsens, the pain is felt even while resting.
Tendonitis of the wrist makes it difficult to use the hands in daily life, causing a lot of inconvenience. If symptoms such as wrist pain are neglected and treatment is delayed, it causes more pain and at the same time makes treatment more difficult due to the spread of inflammation. In addition, as it is known that carpal tunnel syndrome is highly related to various diseases such as carpal tunnel syndrome and rheumatoid arthritis, early treatment and a steady lifestyle before symptoms worsen are very important.
If you feel pain when you put your thumb on the palm of your hand, which is a self-diagnosis method for wrist tendonitis, and bend the other finger with your little finger, you can suspect the occurrence of carpal tunnelitis. Therefore, it is important to visit a hospital for examination and treatment if these self-diagnosis methods and various symptoms suspected of the occurrence of wrist tendonitis mentioned above appear.
Treatment and prevention of wrist tendonitis
1. Diagnosis and treatment according to the diagnosed form
The diagnosis of wrist tendonitis is confirmed and diagnosed through various tests such as a tension test and a Finkelstein test. And depending on the diagnosis result, various treatment methods such as exercise therapy including stretching, drug therapy, and physical therapy are implemented. If symptoms are not relieved even after several such treatments, local injection therapy can be performed. And even if the pain has been relieved after such local injection treatment, it is recommended to refrain from excessive wrist use and activity because the symptoms may recur or the pain may worsen if the wrist is used excessively again. It is said that surgical treatment can be performed only when symptoms cannot be controlled despite various non-surgical treatments.
2. Improving bad posture and behavior
In order to prevent wrist tendonitis and improve symptoms, it is important to improve and correct postures and behaviors that are the cause of the occurrence. It is recommended to try to reduce the burden and pressure on the wrist as much as possible by reducing the excessive use of the wrist and at the same time wearing a protector that can fix the thumb. It is also important to get enough rest so as not to strain the affected area. In addition, if there is redness, swelling, or a feeling of heat, methods such as ice packs have been known to help relieve symptoms.
3. Control your smartphone usage
Excessive smartphone use is known to be the main cause of aggravating the occurrence and symptoms of wrist tendonitis, so it is recommended to reduce excessive smartphone use and control the usage time at the same time. In particular, it is recommended not to apply excessive force to the thumb when using a smartphone.
In addition, as it is known that the incidence of wrist tendonitis is high in occupational groups that spend a lot of time on computers, when working on a computer for a long time, it is necessary to periodically rest the wrist after a certain period of time during the work and at the same time, it is a stretching technique that gently loosens the joint area. It is recommended that you do In particular, stretching, which gently loosens and relaxes the thumb, which is the main site of occurrence, is said to be effective in preventing the occurrence and worsening of symptoms of wrist tendonitis by stretching the tendon while widening the extensor zone. In addition, when using a mouse and keyboard, it is recommended to use one that fits your body, such as providing comfort and stability.
