I am a T1 paraplegic, and have been fighting DeQuervain's tendonitis for over a year now. Tried 2 cortisone shots, PT and "taking it easy" but paras in manual chairs don't take it easy on their wrists! An AB in my position would be considering surgery, but the idea makes me very nervous. 4 - 6 weeks with my good hand in a half cast? I don't think so! I was wondering if any other SCI injured people out there have had this condition, and especially how they've beaten it. Thanks.
i had it and beat it with acupuncture. it took several sessions, but it did go away. only thing is i was AB then... and a quad using a motorized wheelchair now.
i hope you find an answer and even give acupuncture a try.
Thanks Lola, I may do that. I have an OT appointment this Friday and have heard about a treatment where you do range of motion exercises alternating between 2 buckets of warm (105 degrees) and cool water (65 degrees).
For those who don't know what deQuervain's tendonitis is - there are 2 tendons that run from your thumb, through your wrist and over your forearm to the elbow. When the outermost one can get inflamed as it goes through this narrow channel it's called deQuervain's, and you feel pinching sharp pain at the point called the "snuff box" on your wrist. It hurts to bend your hand forward or back, to turn a key or doorknob, sometimes to use your thumb at all. Transfers are excruciating, picking up your leg to get dressed is not much better. With rest the inflammation goes down, but we never rest! And each time that tendon is used, because the channel is so narrow, it rubs and stays inflamed.
Surgery cuts the sheath around the tendon to release it, and allow the swelling to go down. But the recovery is long and will totally shut me down - unless I get a power chair and personal care attendant, which I'll do if needed. But it's worth exploring all other options first.
I have found out tons of information about the condition, but all about ABs, and I have no sense of how well surgery might work for a para. Is the condition going to come back anyway? I suspect I need a more permanent solution, a lifestyle change, but first I have to get it to heal.
Registered: 03/31/04
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I found that reducing activities like writing and typing were enough to allow the swelling to go down on my carpal tunnel. It will still flare up a bit if I over do either, but I can do most anything I want in the chair w/o a flare up as long as I keep other activities to a minimum.
