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Topic: De Quervain's tenosynovitis ? |
Charlie Powell
From:
Kingsport, Tennessee, USA
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Posted 6 Nov 2011 4:47 pm |
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I developed this a couple weeks ago. Received shots in the wrist and they put me in a restraint to immobilize the wrist and thumb. I am curious, anyone have experience with this and can you tell me whether playing aggravates the condition...
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Charlie Powell |
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Tony Glassman
From:
The Great Northwest
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Posted 6 Nov 2011 5:05 pm
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Playing WILL aggravate De Quervain's tenosynovitis.
The condition is due to overuse of the thumb and is basically an inflammation of the tendons of the thumb flexor muscles (muscles crucial to steel playing).
Injections ease the pain but only rest from thumb movement actually alleviates the problem. I'd wear a thumb immobilizer (thumb spica) splint and avoid playing for 4-6 weeks.
I say this as a physician who sees & treats this problem fairly frequently in my practice. |
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Mike Perlowin
From:
Los Angeles CA
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Posted 6 Nov 2011 5:17 pm
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Is this some sort of inflammation? If so, you might try acupuncture. Tony, you know far more about this than any of the rest of us. What is your opinion?
_________________
Please visit my web site and Soundcloud page and listen to the music posted there.
http://www.mikeperlowin.com http://soundcloud.com/mike-perlowin |
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Charlie Powell
From:
Kingsport, Tennessee, USA
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Posted 7 Nov 2011 4:33 am
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Thanks for the replies. The splint you describe is exactly what the Doctor put me in Tony. I was hoping to "cheat" a little and take it off occassionally to play, but maybe I better find another pastime for the next month....
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Charlie Powell |
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Per Berner
From:
Skovde, Sweden
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Posted 7 Nov 2011 6:40 am
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I knew it. Text messaging on the mobile phone is bad for you.  |
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Ben Lawson
From:
Brooksville Florida
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Posted 7 Nov 2011 6:43 am
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Tony is this the condition that causes "bumps" to develop in the palm? Doctors told me that they didn't know why it occurred and there was no remedy for it.
The bumps started in my right hand and have grown for the last 12-13 years. It has caused the pinky & ring finger to start to curl into the palm. It's not painful usually and hasn't affected me too much yet. The doc said they could operate but the rehab would take a long time and there was no guarantee that it wouldn't return. I opted not to do anything about it unless it became really painful.
I just noticed a lump in my left palm in the last week or so. |
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Ken Pippus
From:
Langford, BC, Canada
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Posted 7 Nov 2011 7:40 am
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Rest and immobilization will cure some of these. There is a pretty straight forward surgical cure if that fails. Tony knows whereof he speaks, and acupuncture is extremely unlikely to be helpful.
KP |
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Tony Glassman
From:
The Great Northwest
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Posted 7 Nov 2011 7:53 am
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| Ben Lawson wrote: |
Tony is this the condition that causes "bumps" to develop in the palm? Doctors told me that they didn't know why it occurred and there was no remedy for it.
The bumps started in my right hand and have grown for the last 12-13 years. It has caused the pinky & ring finger to start to curl into the palm. It's not painful usually and hasn't affected me too much yet. The doc said they could operate but the rehab would take a long time and there was no guarantee that it wouldn't return. I opted not to do anything about it unless it became really painful.
I just noticed a lump in my left palm in the last week or so. |
Ken - Without seeing and examining your hand directly, I can ony guess at a diagnosis.
It sounds as if you have Dupuytren's contractures. That's a shortening and tightening of the connenctive tissue of the palm. It's a fairly common in men of N. European / Scandanavian dissent. It is usually treated by surgical release. The good news is that it usually does not involve the thumb and index finger. |
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Mike Archer
From:
church hill tn
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Posted 7 Nov 2011 1:37 pm hey buddy
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hey Charles hope it gets well soon
I know you are dying to play your steel
just bare it out its for the best that
sling your in
Mike  |
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John Billings
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 7 Nov 2011 3:14 pm
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Ben,
My Dad had this condition, and had it operated on at the Cleveland Clinic. While I was visiting, his Doc said I'd have it to. He told me to keep playing guitar as much as possible, for as long as possible, as the movement/exercise would stave off the condition. Not eliminate it, but push the necessity of surgery back. |
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Ben Lawson
From:
Brooksville Florida
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Posted 7 Nov 2011 7:10 pm
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| Thanks Tony & John. I'll keep pickin' as long as I can and if I live long enough I'll check into getting the surgery. |
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Bent Romnes
From:
London,Ontario, Canada
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Posted 8 Nov 2011 2:12 pm
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| Tony Glassman wrote: |
Ken - Without seeing and examining your hand directly, I can ony guess at a diagnosis.
It sounds as if you have Dupuytren's contractures. That's a shortening and tightening of the connenctive tissue of the palm. It's a fairly common in men of N. European / Scandanavian dissent. It is usually treated by surgical release. The good news is that it usually does not involve the thumb and index finger. |
Tony, I think your diagnosis is Right on.
I am of Scandinavian dissent(Norway). I have one of those contractures on my right pinky. My Dad had it so it is hereditary as well. His was worse tan mine as his finger was permanently crooked.
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BenRom Pedal Steel Guitars
https://www.facebook.com/groups/212050572323614/ |
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Bob Snelgrove
From:
san jose, ca
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Charlie Powell
From:
Kingsport, Tennessee, USA
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Posted 8 Nov 2011 6:28 pm
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That is where the pain is. Point your thumb across your palm, them bend your wrist in the direction of your little finger. If you've got it, you will know for certain...
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Charlie Powell |
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Tony Glassman
From:
The Great Northwest
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Posted 8 Nov 2011 6:41 pm
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| Charles L Powell wrote: |
| That is where the pain is. Point your thumb across your palm, them bend your wrist in the direction of your little finger. If you've got it, you will know for certain... |
I'll confirm that. It's called the Finklestein Test (after the physician that discovered it). For the full effect make a fist with your thumb tucked inside of your fingers, then bend as Charles describes.
Also you should have pain over the radial styloid (the bump on the thumb side of the wrist) when you press it. |
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Bob Snelgrove
From:
san jose, ca
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Posted 9 Nov 2011 6:33 am
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| Tony Glassman wrote: |
| Charles L Powell wrote: |
| That is where the pain is. Point your thumb across your palm, them bend your wrist in the direction of your little finger. If you've got it, you will know for certain... |
I'll confirm that. It's called the Finklestein Test (after the physician that discovered it). For the full effect make a fist with your thumb tucked inside of your fingers, then bend as Charles describes.
Also you should have pain over the radial styloid (the bump on the thumb side of the wrist) when you press it. |
Yep, Yep 
Is it fixable? Mine seems better since taking Krill oil supplements but I still take 2 advil before practice or gigs.
bob
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1978 Crawford Emmons P/P
1976 Tommy White P/P
1986 Franklin D-10 |
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Tony Glassman
From:
The Great Northwest
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Posted 9 Nov 2011 8:11 am
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| Quote: |
| Is it fixable? Mine seems better since taking Krill oil supplements but I still take 2 advil before practice or gigs. |
see above -
1] rest ( no playing)
2] immobilizer thumb splint
3] NSAID meds (ibuprofren, naprosyn etc)
for 4-6 weeks |
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Bob Snelgrove
From:
san jose, ca
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Tony Glassman
From:
The Great Northwest
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Posted 11 Nov 2011 9:05 am
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Bob, I'm take off my "MD hat" after this post, as I usually visit here to get away from medicine. In answer to your questions (w/o the benefit examining you:
1] Carpal Tunnel syndrome [CTS], and DeQuervain's syndrome [DQS] are both hand repetitive use injuries, be that "pool cleaning" or " steel playing" etc.
2] CTS is a compression of the median nerve. The symptoms are numbness (+/- weakness) in the thumb, index and "bird" fingers
3]DQS is irritation of the wrist tendons attached to the muscles that flex (curl) the thumb and wrist. The symptoms are tenderness on the thumb-side of the wrist and pained worsen with lifting items in the palm-thumb-up position.
3]Pain at the joint between thumb and wrist may also be arthritis at the 1st CMC joint. The difference is that the pain is not as far back on the wrist, mainly affects the thumb and there is a negative Finklestein test. (see above). There is pain w/ most thumb motion and can be some swelling.
Go see your Doctor! Resting, bracing, NSAIDs and steroid injections are usually all crucial parts of treatment in all three problems. Sometimes surgery is needed when the more conservative treatments listed above, don't do the job. |
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Bob Snelgrove
From:
san jose, ca
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Posted 11 Nov 2011 9:26 am
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| Tony Glassman wrote: |
Bob, I'm take off my "MD hat" after this post, as I usually visit here to get away from medicine. In answer to your questions (w/o the benefit examining you:
1] Carpal Tunnel syndrome [CTS], and DeQuervain's syndrome [DQS] are both hand repetitive use injuries, be that "pool cleaning" or " steel playing" etc.
2] CTS is a compression of the median nerve. The symptoms are numbness (+/- weakness) in the thumb, index and "bird" fingers
3]DQS is irritation of the wrist tendons attached to the muscles that flex (curl) the thumb and wrist. The symptoms are tenderness on the thumb-side of the wrist and pained worsen with lifting items in the palm-thumb-up position.
3]Pain at the joint between thumb and wrist may also be arthritis at the 1st CMC joint. The difference is that the pain is not as far back on the wrist, mainly affects the thumb and there is a negative Finklestein test. (see above). There is pain w/ most thumb motion and can be some swelling.
Go see your Doctor! Resting, bracing, NSAIDs and steroid injections are usually all crucial parts of treatment in all three problems. Sometimes surgery is needed when the more conservative treatments listed above, don't do the job. |
Thanks, Doc, I mean Tony. We do appreciate your expertise but I understand you not wanting to mix business with pleasure 
bob |
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Jim Smith
From:
Midlothian, TX, USA
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Posted 13 Nov 2011 7:55 am
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| Tony Glassman wrote: |
| 3]Pain at the joint between thumb and wrist may also be arthritis at the 1st CMC joint. |
I had that so bad on my right thumb that I couldn't turn a door knob, twist the throttle on my Harley, or even hold a coffee scoop!  I had that joint reconstructed with tendon from my arm about 10 years ago and it's been fine ever since.
The left one is finally bad enough for surgery, so I will have it done this Tuesday. I could have waited a while longer, but I'm on an HMO now, and my company is switching to a high deductible plan next year. |
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Clyde Mattocks
From:
Kinston, North Carolina, USA
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Posted 13 Nov 2011 8:14 am
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This forum is truly a great resource. I have this condition and haven't been able to describe it. Mine seems to vary in severity from day to day. From all the posts above, it appears this condition is aggrivated by years of playing steel. I look forward to hearing more of what works to ease it.
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LeGrande II, Nash. 112, Fender Twin Tone Master, Session 400, Harlow Dobro, R.Q.Jones Dobro |
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Bob Snelgrove
From:
san jose, ca
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George Kimery
From:
Limestone, TN, USA
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Posted 15 Nov 2011 8:20 pm De Quervain's Tenosynovitis
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Hey Charles, sorry to hear about your thumb condition. Ray Myer's had no arms and played with his feet, so while you are waiting for the thumb condition to clear up, pull off the ole shoes and have a go at it with your toes. I have never had a lot of luck with my fingers anyway and have been thinking about trying the toe method myself. Anybody have any toe tabs for Tippy Toeing?
Take the time off to listen to a lot of steel and jot down ideas onto a recorder. Jeff Newman told me to listen to something 50 times that I wanted to play, then play it one time instead of listening to it 1 time and then trying to play it 50 times.
You can learn a lot by just following tablature with your ears and watching the pedal changes. Make the best of the situation and count your blessings that it is only a temporary condition. Good time to get all your music stuff organized. |
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