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Have you ever noticed a twinge of pain in your wrist when using your thumbs to text on your phone? Does it get worse when you use your wrist to write, grip, or type? Is moving your thumb suddenly painful?

If so, you might have De Quervain’s tenosynovitis. That’s a fancy name for wrist tendonitis.

Doctors treat cases of De Quervain’s tenosynovitis every day. Some people might require surgery. But just as many — if not more — people can get better with nonsurgical treatment.

And you can do that yourself at home.

What Is De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis?

De Quervain’s is a tendon injury in your wrist. Swiss surgeon Fritz de Quervain first described the condition that now bears his name.

You have two tendons that run from the base of your thumb down the side of your wrist. With chronic overuse (like doing the same motion over and over), you can irritate these tendons.

They can swell and press against the sheath that covers them. “Synovial membrane” is the term for this protective sheath. That’s why it’s tendosynovitis.

But whatever you call it, the fact is that De Quervain’s tendonitis can cause pain and make daily activities difficult.

How Do I Know if I Have De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis?

Usually, with De Quervain’s, you have:

• Pain or tenderness at the base of your thumb.
• Swelling at your wrist near the base of your thumb.
• Pain during motions, like grabbing, pinching, making a fist, or turning your wrist.
• A feeling of popping or snapping in your wrist tendons.
• Stiffness when trying to move your thumb and/or wrist.
• Numbness in the thumb, which can spread to the index finger.

Women are more likely than men to get De Quervain’s tenosynovitis. You’re also more likely to get it if:

• You’re 40+ years old.
• You have hobbies or a job that requires making the same hand and wrist movements day after day.
• You play sports that require holding something tightly (such as tennis, rowing, or golf).
• You’re pregnant. (There are links between pregnancy hormones and De Quervain’s.)
• You have arthritis.

Activities like typing, texting with your thumbs, or playing the piano may contribute to De Quervain’s tenosynovitis. But many people do these activities and don’t get the condition.

Try the Finkelstein test to see if you have De Quervain’s

You can do a simple test at home to see if you might have De Quervain’s. This is the Finkelstein test.

• Place your thumb on your palm.
• Close your fist around it.
• Bend your wrist toward your little finger.

If you feel pain while doing this, there’s a good chance you have De Quervain’s tenosynovitis.

What Are At-Home Treatment for De Quervain’s?

Your goal is to try to reduce the swelling and irritation of the tendons. There are a few things you can try at home.

Rest, medication, and ice

First, rest your wrist if you can. Having a job that’s causing your pain can make this difficult (this is also a reason to see a doctor right away). If there are activities you can ease up on for a while, try that first.

You can also ice your wrist for 20 minutes at a time to reduce swelling. This is best after activity.

Over-the-counter pain meds like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), or acetaminophen (Tylenol) can also help.

Wrapping or splinting your wrist

The best way to rest your wrist and thumb and keep it from moving is with a wrist splint. You can buy or order a splint for De Quervain’s from many retailers and pharmacies.

Wear the splint as long as you can tolerate it, up to 24 hours a day for four to six weeks.

As for what is the best splint for De Quervain’s tenosynovitis, look for a thumb spica splint. A 2023 Journal of the American Medical Association article found that thumb spica immobilization was a good first-line treatment.

Some people also wonder how to wrap a wrist for De Quervain’s tenosynovitis. If you work with a trainer or physical therapist, they may suggest this.

However, according to a 2022 Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies review article, whether taping can help De Quervain’s is unclear.

Wrist exercises

You can do several stretches and exercises at home to rehab your wrist tendonitis, including:

• Squeezing a tennis ball and holding it for five seconds (repeat this five to 10 times a few times a day).
• A backward thumb stretch, in which you extend your thumb backward until you feel a stretch. Start by holding for a few seconds and work up to 30 seconds. Repeat five to 10 times.
• A thumb-palm stretch, in which you bend your thumb into your palm and push lightly with your other hand. Follow the same hold cadence as the backward thumb stretch.
• A wrist rotation, in which you hold a soup can (or similar-sized object) in front of you and rotate your wrist. Alternate between palm up and palm down.

When Should I See a Doctor for De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis?

At-home treatment can help. But for some people, the pain and swelling is hard to manage on their own.

Consider making an appointment with an orthopaedic specialist or sports medicine doctor if:

• Your pain is getting worse or just isn’t improving.
• You have numbness and/or tingling in your wrist or fingers that’s getting worse.
• Your wrist feels increasingly stiff and your range of motion is decreasing.

A doctor can make sure you have the correct diagnosis (because there are other types of tendonitis, too).

Your doctor may start by referring you for physical therapy.

Sometimes, you only need a few visits. Your PT will give you a series of exercises to do at home each day.

Your doctor may suggest pain injections into the tendon sheath. This sounds painful, but these injections can effectively manage pain.

Finally, some people may need surgery. But this only happens if your De Quervain’s is severe and doesn’t respond to other treatments.

The surgery releases the sheath but preserves the function of your tendons. With rest and physical therapy, you can fully recover and use your thumb and wrist as you normally would again.

Editor's Note: This article was originally published on January 24, 2025, and was last reviewed on January 2, 2026.