Hand Tendonitis: What Is It, And How Is It Treated?

Does it seem like every time you sit down to type, your hand starts to hurt? Have you thought it might be the dreaded carpel tunnel, yet you do not have the other symptoms, such as numbness and tingling in your fingers? Before you sign up for extensive carpel tunnel testing, keep in mind that you might be facing hand tendonitis, a completely different, but no less painful, condition.

Hand tendonitis is like any other type of tendonitis, and is a condition caused by the inflammation of the tendons in the wrist and hands. This inflammation causes swelling, particularly of the wrist, and pain in the hand and wrist. Often hand tendonitis affects one particular tendon, but it can spread throughout the hand.

This irritation occurs usually around the wrist joint, where the tendons are housed in sheaths. When they are irritated, this sheath thickens, and the tendons cannot glide in their normal range of motion, making moving the hand painful. Hand tendonitis can affect that ability to do just about any activity that requires the use of the hands. It is common to see swelling in the effected area when a patient has hand tendonitis.

How Is The Condition Diagnosed?

Hand tendonitis must be made by a qualified physician. Often, general practitioners are not able to accurately diagnose the condition. Sometimes a hand specialist is needed to isolate the affected area, particularly if the problem has become severe, because the pain spreads throughout the hand. Most of the time, doctors will perform stretches of the affected hand to try to locate the exact spot that is affected.

How Is It Treated?

Treating hand tendonitis can be tricky. Not ever person responds to the same treatment, but there is a common route of treatment that doctors usually choose to take. The first step is to immobilize the affected area. This is done through wearing a hand brace. The purpose of this immobilization is to allow the inflammation to come down. This is particularly vital for hand tendonitis caused by overuse. During the time of immobilization, the area is usually iced several times a day. This also helps cut back on the inflammation.

Doctors will usually prescribe anti inflammatory medications, such as naproxen, to help with the pain and inflammation associated with hand tendonitis. If these steps do not take care of the problem, some doctors will inject cortisone directly into the tendon. This is a painful procedure, but it does help cut down on the inflammation. Surgery is considered a last resort for treating hand tendonitis.

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