Tendonitis and Tenosynovitis

[TNT]

Originally posted by Dr.Evil
cool post. i wonder if the pain i get from winny could be classified as tendonitis or the other thing. whatever it is it's damn annoying...

Well, the technical name for "the other thng" is DeQuervain's Tenosynovitis, and it's diagnosed by using The Finklestein Test. (I kid you not.)

So okay, kids, let's all do this one together! Ready? (Everybody say, "Yeah!")

Take your right hand, bend your thumb under your palm, and make a fist so that your first couple of fingers are wrapped around your thumb.

Now hold your arm in front of your chest, bent at the elbow so that your hand is pointing toard your left.

Loosen your wrist and, with your left hand, move your right hand only outward from your body. In other words, move your right hand so that it bends slightly at the wrist.

If your wrist suddenly hurts like hell - a sharp, stabbing pain - then it means that you have a positive Finklestein test and, thus, that you have DeQuervain's.

Obviously, if you want to check for tenosynovitis in the left wrist, just do the same thing in reverse - left arm out, bent at elbow, hand facing toward your right, make fist with your thumb bent inward and inside the fingers, then use your right hand to move the left forward at the wrist. Again, if you feel like screaming (and yes, the pain is that sharp), you've got a positive Finklestein.

(By the way, if that's the case, make sure you say that to your doctor. To walk in and say, "I've got a positive Finklestein" is so esoteric that it will impress the hell out of anyone. )

For both tendinitis and tenosynovitis, the primary treatment is cortizone shots. They work wonders, but you can only have a maximum of three shots to any one site before you begin to weaken the bone structure. They are, however, worth trying before having any surgery. Once you've had either condition (and I had several shots for DeQuervain's a few years ago), believe me, you'll learn how to use correct lifting form at all times - and yes, both of these conditions can be caused by improper weight lifting techniques.

You can read more about tendinitis and tenosynovitis in the home version of Ther Merck Manual. It's at the end of the chapter that you'll find at this link.