What are the symptoms of thumb tenosynovitis

Common symptoms of thumb tenosynovitis include pain in these areas, the ability to feel a thickened tendon sheath, and sometimes a pea-sized nodule. Movement is restricted and the thumb cannot be straightened or bent effectively.

1. Clinical symptoms

Flexor tendon tenosynovitis often occurs in the thumb, ring finger, index finger, middle finger and elbow. The affected fingers have flexion and extension dysfunction, which is particularly obvious when waking up in the morning and can be alleviated or disappear after activity. The pain sometimes radiates to the wrist. Flexion of the metacarpophalangeal joint may cause tenderness, and sometimes a thickened tendon sheath and a pea-sized nodule can be felt. When the affected finger is bent, it suddenly stays in a semi-bent position. The finger can neither be straightened nor flexed, as if it is suddenly "stuck", causing unbearable pain. With the help of the other hand, the fingers can move again, producing an action and sound like a trigger, so it is also called "trigger finger".

2. Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatment

Tenosynovitis belongs to the category of "tendon injury" in traditional Chinese medicine. It is caused by excessive local labor, accumulated strain on the tendons, or exposure to cold, which leads to stagnation of Qi and blood and inability to nourish the meridians and tendons. The principle of external treatment is the same as the principle of internal treatment, and the medicine for external treatment is the same as the medicine for internal treatment. The only difference is the method! The medical principles and medicinal properties are the same, but the principles are magical and changeable.

3. Closed treatment

It can relieve early-stage tenosynovitis and should be blocked once a week. Generally, blocking treatment methods cause greater damage to local tissues and are prone to recurrence. Severe patients can choose surgical treatment. Finger flexion and extension exercises should be performed early after surgery to prevent tendon adhesion, and manual labor should be avoided within 1 month after surgery.

4. Surgical treatment

After surgery, choose an appropriate splint for fixation.

When non-surgical treatment is ineffective, acupuncture or tenotomy may be used. Make an incision at the transverse palmar crease and use vascular forceps to separate directly to the tendon sheath to avoid damaging the digital vascular nerve bundle.