What are the symptoms of De Quervain's Tenosynovitis?

• A. Painful swelling on the dorsal wrist
• B. Inflammation of tendons on the side of the wrist at the base of the thumb.
• C. Numbness in the little finger
• D. Joint locking of the elbow

Answer: (B)

De Quervain's tenosynovitis happens when the tendons that move the thumb—the abductor pollicis longus and extensor pollicis brevis—become irritated and swollen as they pass through the first dorsal wrist compartment. This results in pain and often swelling on the radial (thumb-side) aspect of the wrist right at the base of the thumb. The pain is usually triggered or worsened by thumb movement, gripping, pinching, or lifting, and tenderness is felt directly over that area. In practice, patients notice a painful, swollen spot at the base of the thumb and difficulty with tasks that involve thumb use. Numbness in the little finger would point toward a different nerve issue, and elbow locking or non-specific dorsal wrist swelling wouldn’t match the tenderness and pain pattern at the base of the thumb seen with this condition.