deQuervain's problem in a new mother

by khong
(malaysia)

Hi, I wish you could help me on my thumb & wrist pain problem.

I am a new mummy to my 3 months plus baby. I am sufferring wrist pain for my both hands since 2 months plus ago. Initially i feel both my hands wrist are pain but when time past, i started to feel both my thumbs are pain too. There are swelling on the part above wrist.

i do not know what is the actual cause to this problem. I am doing accounts job, not so much of typing work. I would suspect the cause of my problem is caring my new born baby. he is only 2.8kg upon delivered, not so heavy but i was facing problem in breastfeeding. my baby did not suck well and everytime i carry him for 1-2 hours everytime try to breastfeed. My hands started to feel pain on the 11 days after delivery.

i have taken anti-inflammation drugs & kertosen plaster but it does not helps at all. I went to hand specialist, the doctor diagnosed me as having deQuervain's & has arranged me to go for ultra sound for about 2-3months.

I am wearing hand splint during day time. At the moment, i have undergo 4 times ultrasound (2 times a week). Besides, i also go for chinese alcupuncture, once a week.

So far, i does not see any improvement yet.

Every morning when i wake up, my hands feel very pain.The pain is last for about an hour, then gone. When i start using my hands, a little movement has cause me feel pain already.

The hand specialist advice me to continue ultrasound for 2-3 months. If no improvement thereafter, he will do steroid injection for me.

my question here are:

1. am i really suffer from deQuervain's?

2. is there any x-ray/mri or any way could be done to see inside "how injured is my tendon" or it only could be judge by "my own feeling of the pain"?

3. shall i started to take vitamins/ supplement such as Vit D, vit C & Magnesium to improve my tendon?

4.i heard many says bad side effect of steroid injection, i should not take it right?

5.does your "reversing wrist tendonitis" helps my problem?



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Joshua Answers:

Hi Khong.

Congratulations on the new baby!

But yes, sometimes there are some physical downsides to being a new mother....

It sounds like you have some usual Tendonitis factors in your thumb and forearm (tight muscles, irritated tissue, etc).

I'll jump right to your questions.


1. Maybe. I don't know and can't tell from here. Regardless of the name or label, you're in pain, and there are reasons for that.

But as there are There Are Two Types Of Tendonitis, it's safe to say that you have one of them.

You absolutely have some kind of Pain Causing Dynamic in place.



2. No.

And, you're probably not actually injured. You're just undernourished and your body is creating pain sensation.



3. Vitamin D, absolutely (depending on how much actual sunshine hits your skin every day.

Magnesium for Tendonitis ABSOLUTELY!


And, more protein. And, more good fat.

The more good nutrition you can get into your body, the better. Regardless of how 'healthy' you were before pregnancy, being pregnant and giving birth takes a lot out of your body, literally.




4. My personal and professional opinion is a big thumbs down (no) to corticosteroid injections.

They don't fix the problem. They don't make your weak muscles stronger, they don't get rid of nutritional deficiencies, etc.




5. Yes, I very much suggest that you get my Reversing Wrist Tendonitis ebook.

It will give you a complete plan, and the reasons for each part of it. I suspect you need to focus more on the nutrition side of things, which are included.





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Joshua Tucker, B.A., C.M.T.
The Tendonitis Expert
www.TendonitisExpert.com