de Quervain’s tendonitis can affect anyone who performs a lot of handwork or repetitive hand movements. New mothers and grandmothers are particularly susceptible to pain at the base of the thumb because they’re more likely to repeatedly pick up their first child or grandchild. This explains how de Quervain’s tendonitis earned the nickname “mother’s thumb.”
Differences Between Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and de Quervain’s Tendonitis
Sometimes confused with carpal tunnel syndrome, de Quervain’s tendonitis is similar to other types of tendonitis caused by overuse. McEvoy explains the difference. “In carpal tunnel syndrome, pain is usually centered on the inside of your wrist where nerves and tendons pass through a narrow tunnel-like space,” McEvoy writes. “De Quervain’s tendonitis, however, involves just the thumb tendon, which runs through a canal at the base of the thumb at the back of the hand.”
Signs of de Quervain’s Tendonitis
McEvoy urges patients to look for these signs of mother’s thumb:
Pain and/or swelling on the wrist’s thumb side at the back of the wrist
Increased pain while forming a fist, grasping or holding objects, or turning the wrist
A snapping or catching feeling when moving the thumb, much like a trigger finger.