Tendons are cords that come off a muscle and cross a joint and attach to bone. When a muscle contracts it shortens, and pulls on the cord-like tendon, which then causes a part of the body to move. The tendons that cross the wrist cause the wrist or one of the fingers or thumb to move. Tendonitis is when a tendon becomes inflamed, which means it is irritated, swollen and sore, she says.
“Wrist tendonitis is often activity related and I have seen quite a few new mothers come in with this issue, and some new fathers and grandparents also,” says Dr. Berrettoni, who practices with Premier Health Specialists. “Mothers develop wrist tendonitis when they are repeatedly picking up their babies by placing their hands under the baby’s armpits and lifting.”
“Mommy’s thumb” is an informal term for the tendonitis called De Quervain’s tendonitis. De Quervain’s tendons are the ones that specifically move the thumb and that cross over the wrist on the thumb side. Parents use these tendons when placing their hands under a baby’s armpits to pick the child up, which can cause pain to be felt near the thumb or around the wrist.
The National Institute of Health (NIH), offers the following advice for those who develop wrist tendonitis:
Assess your symptoms – Wrist tendonitis is characterized by the following symptoms: Pain on the back of the thumb when a fist is made, something is grabbed or when the wrist is turned; swelling of the wrist; and stiffness when moving the thumb or wrist.
Treat the symptoms – Ice your wrist for 20 minutes of every hour while awake. Be careful not to apply ice directly to the skin. For pain, use ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin), naproxen (Aleve or Naprosyn) or acetaminophen (Tylenol). Nursing mothers should first consult with their physician before taking any of these medications.
Rest and stabilize – Rest the affected area by stabilizing it with a splint that holds the thumb still, called a thumb spica splint. The NIH recommends it remain stable for at least one week. Once the wrist is able to move without pain, it is important to do light stretching that can help strengthen the wrist again.
Seek professional advice – Seek professional advice from a doctor if the pain does not improve or becomes worse, if the wrist becomes stiff, and if there is increasing numbness or tingling in the wrist and fingers or if they turn white or blue.
Specialists like Dr. Berrettoni are able to do an exam and assess a patient’s individual needs and decide what type of treatment is best among the options of splinting, therapy, cortisone injections or surgery. Treatment can be tailored for new mothers, including those who are nursing. Braces can be made by a hand therapist to fit a mother according to how her hand is positioned when she picks up her baby. A cortisone injection may be tried if the mother is not nursing or in instances where the mother stores milk to avoid the time period around the cortisone injection, or for fathers and grandparents.
“Typically as the baby grows, the way you hold the baby changes,” Dr. Berrettoni says. “So for a lot of new parents, their problem may resolve over time.”
For more information on wrist tendonitis or to find a Premier Health Specialists physician near you, visit www.premierhealthspecialists.org/hand.
ABOUT PREMIER HEALTH SPECIALISTS: Premier Health Specialists is one of the largest groups of specialty care practices in Southwest Ohio. More than 130 physicians serve patients in a variety of specialties such as bariatrics, breast care, burn and wound, cardiology, cardiothoracic surgery, cardiovascular-thoracic surgery, general surgery, gynecologic oncology, hand and reconstructive surgery, infectious diseases, maternal-fetal medicine, neurosciences, obstetrics and gynecology, orthopedic surgery, orthopedic spine surgery, ophthalmology, palliative care, physiatry, plastic surgery, podiatry, psychology, pulmonology, sports medicine and urology. Premier Health Specialists is part of Premier Health, which includes Miami Valley Hospital, Good Samaritan Hospital Dayton, Atrium Medical Center and Upper Valley Medical Center. For more information, visit www.premierhealthspecialists.org.
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