Find an ortho specialist. Thumb tendonitis De Quervain's tenosynovitis causes pain in tendons around the base of the thumb, on the inside of the wrist and forearm. Both terms refer to inflammation along the thumb. When the tendons around the base of the thumb are irritated or constricted, they swell.
Human thumbs are opposable, which allows people to grip objects and perform fine motor movements. Sometimes, a person may experience pain or a lack of movement in the thumb. These symptoms could indicate several underlying health conditions, ranging from systemic diseases, such as arthritis, to sprains and other injuries. A thumb sprain results from stretching or damage to the ligaments of the thumb.
First things first: if your thumb joint is swollen, hot, and inflamed you should seek medical care immediately , as this could be a sign of a severe infection. In a normally functioning hand, tendons run through sheaths or pulleys to the fingers to make them bend. With trigger thumb, medically known as stenosing tenosynovitis , the tendon sheaths a tunnel-like structure that holds the tendon to the bone become inflamed and thickened, making it difficult for the tendon to smoothly glide through the sheath to bend the affected finger. As a result, the affected digit becomes stiff and painful, with most people feeling a locking or catching feeling when they bend their thumb.