DeQuervain’s Syndrome:

• DeQuervain’s syndrome is swelling and inflammation of the tendons and the tendon sheath of two specific muscles of the thumb.

• While the cause of DeQuervain’s syndrome is thought to occur from an injury to the tendon or an overuse injury, such as having a forceful grasp while moving repetitively through ulnar deviation.

• Symptoms may include swelling, a grating feeling in the wrist, and pain and weakness along the thumb, wrist, and forearm.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome:

• Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when one nerve, the median nerve, which passes through a tunnel in the anterior wrist becomes compressed.  Once the nerve is compressed, it can become irritated producing symptoms.

• This can be caused by swelling of surrounding tissues, or dislocation/fracture of a wrist bone.  It can also be caused by having the wrist positioned in flexion or extension for long periods, such as while sleeping.

• Symptoms include numbness, tingling, pain, and weakness in the thumb, index, and middle fingers.  Symptoms are mainly in the hand and fingers. Rarely do the symptoms travel up into the forearm, if they do then it is probably related to the neck.  The muscles at the base of the thumb may atrophy.  Performing daily activities tends to aggravate these symptoms.

Scaphoid Fracture:

• A scaphoid fracture is a break to one of the eight bones that make up the wrist. The scaphoid is one of the small bones located on the lateral, or thumb side, of the wrist.  Healing can be slow and difficult without treatment because parts of the scaphoid bone do not have a good blood supply.

• A scaphoid fracture can commonly occur when your wrist is severely twisted, or trauma occurs, such as a hard hit to the wrist or falling on an outstretched hand.

• Symptoms may include pain, tenderness, bruising and swelling of the wrist near the base of the thumb.

Colles’ Fracture:

• A Colles’ fracture is often thought of as the classic ”broken wrist.”  It is a break of one or both of the bones in the forearm, the radius and ulna. The bone breaks closer to the distal end.

• Fracture is generally caused by trauma including falling on an outstretched arm or being hit in the wrist.

• Symptoms of a colles’ fracture include pain, tenderness, swelling, bruising, or deformity of the wrist.

DeQuervain’s Syndrome:

• DeQuervain’s syndrome is swelling and inflammation of the tendons and the tendon sheath of two specific muscles of the thumb.

• While the cause of DeQuervain’s syndrome is thought to occur from an injury to the tendon or an overuse injury, such as having a forceful grasp while moving repetitively through ulnar deviation.

• Symptoms may include swelling, a grating feeling in the wrist, and pain and weakness along the thumb, wrist, and forearm.

Ganglion Cyst:

• A ganglion cyst is a swelling or systic tumor that appears on a tendon.  It can be soft or firm.  Cyst are common both on the anterior and posterior wrist.

• The cause of a ganglion cyst is unknown.

• Symptoms include tenderness with palpation and pain at the end of the range of motion.