I need advice about how to self treat de Quervains tendonitis

I fell over a small wagon in the dark and I suppose that I tried to stop the impact with my hands which were palms down and arms bent at the elboe joint against my body.

I knew there were no bones broken but due to the severe pain through my thumb and wrist bone( on the tumb side) also when I bend the hands back the wrist joint hurts a great deal, I went to and had them X-rayed anyway.

The specialist barely touched my hands, diagnosed it as De Quervain's tenosynovitis and sent me to his therapist who put a compress of heat on for ten minutes, five minutes of ultrasound , ten minutes massage and another ten minutes of cold compress. This , after five sessions has done very little and been very expensive.

I am trying to continue my own treatment. I found the cold to be more damaging. So I am bathing them in hot water with epsom salts, traumel creme,tiger balm and I bought a massager with heat.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Marla
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Gary Responds
Thanks for the additional information about the injured wrists and about your occupation and lifestyle.

De Quervains would seem to be a reasonable diagnosis. The problem has probably been percolating below the surface and the fall stirred it up.

There are a number of approaches to be taken which, in combination, should bring about a full recovery:

Nutrition:

• Please can you get an updated blood test to determine your blood iron and B vitamin levels. If any of these are not close to the upper range of "normal" then you need to do a deliberate programme of boosting these. I can advise how to go about this, if needed, once you have the blood test results.
• It is possible that your adrenals are over-stimulated and may be nearing exhaustion. High chronic levels of cortisone soften bones and ligaments and cause joint and muscle pain. You are drinking too much caffeinated tea. This is no good for the adrenals. Please go for at least 10 days without any sources of caffeine at all and then do not start up again. consider going on an adrenal support programme. Refer here for more about adrenal fatigue.
• Please ensure that your diet has more variety in quality fresh natural fats and oils. Excessively low cholesterol levels may contribute to your fragility. Please get a blood test of your lipids and send the results to me for analysis and advice.
• Take vitamin C and glucosamine and chondroitin daily
• Take schuessler tissue salts that contain calcium fluoride, silicaea, magnesium phosphate and calcium phosphate.

Massage
I am not a fan of mechanical massagers. It is much better to employ the services of a professional masseur and to have the arms thoroughly massaged from shoulders to fingers only once a week. Let them settle between sessions. Of course, there will be much attention during the massages placed on softening up the annular ligaments about the wrists and other areas of chronic pain. Please refer to my many articles about this kind of therapy and similar ailments to De Quervains for more information about massage.

Combined with good nutrition, massage gives wonderful results after about three weeks and ongoing.

Exercise
I see little pint in any more exercise than what you are doing in your job and daily living. There is no point in exercising structures that are weakened, inflammed and poorly nourished. As vitality is restored, your ability to use your wrists ever more vigorously duing every day activities will increase. Then, you might consider some more deliberate strengthening work.

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I have been diagnosed with DeQuervain's tendinitis

I have been diagnosed with DeQuervain's tendinitis. I have been taking anti inflammatory meds and using a splint. Of course, the dr. wants to give me the cortisone shot. I do not want this. I have heard of a patch that uses electonic pulses to deliver the cortisone. Is this any better than the shot or with less side effects? Where can I find info or a dr. that can help me find the more "natural" remedies you write about, such as exercise, massage and nutrition? Will acupuncture help? 

Thank you, Sheila

Advice sought about deQuervain's tendinitis

"I have been diagnosed with DeQuervain's tendinitis. I have been taking anti inflammatory meds and using a splint.

Of course, the dr. wants to give me the cortisone shot. I do not want this. I have heard of a patch that uses electonic pulses to deliver the cortisone. Is this any better than the shot or with less side effects? Where can I find info or a dr. that can help me find the more "natural" remedies you write about, such as exercise, massage and nutrition? Will acupuncture help? Thank you", Sheila USA

Note:
Sheila is a slightly overweight 53 year old who works in an office. From the photos she supplied, there would appear to be some generalised fluid retention that is commonly associated with over medication.

Medications being taken:
Simvastatin - cholesterol
Quinapril - blood pressure
Levoxyl - thyroid
Etodolac - anti inflammatory
Glimerperide - diabetes
Zyrtec - sinus
Methylprednisone - steroid
Prempro - menopause hormones
Metmorphin - diabetes
Motrin - pain
________________________________

Gary Moller comments:
Sheila, it is time for a cool, hard reality check:

My ex-wife has spent 20+ years managing old people's nursing homes where residents enter in an upright position through the front door and exit in a horizontal position through the rear doors with a tag on their toe. Not long ago, she commented "When we take them off their medications, they live longer". One of the greatest frauds of modern history is the lie that pharmaceuticals improve quality of life and extend life. With some exceptions, they do neither - in most cases they ruin people's lives.

One pattern that is arising from worldwide correspondence from people seeking advice about personal health issues, is that the USA and Canada are the most medicated countries on the planet. Sheila, you are no exception and you are going the way of most North Americans - drug dependent slaves to the multi-billion dollar pharmaceutical and health industries.

The difference between you and the residents of the old people's nursing home is you are young and they are much older. In my opinion, there is no need for all of this medication. Even the diabetes medication is probably unnecessary if it is Type II diabetes that it is for. For each medicine that you are taking there is a healthy, cheap or free natural alternative, or no need for anything at all, other than less work, good food, sunlight, fresh air and moderate exercise. And love. Going by your pale complexion and being on a statin drug, you are probably vitamin D deficient, for a start (Please read my articles and advice on this site about vitamin D).

The tendinitis that you are suffering from, and other symptoms of gradually deteriorating health, such as swelling ankles, indicates that your body is being steadily weakened by the onslaught of drugs and their myriad of interactions that would require a super computer to decipher. Even if, what you are taking is off and on, the long term consequences are potentially disastrous.

For example; the statin may cause severe muscle weakness, fatigue and joint pain for which you will require additional medication. Statins prevent the uptake of the fat soluble vitamins which may soften your bones requiring further medication. Low cholesterol and low vitamin D reduces hormone production which kills libido and exacerbates menopausal symptoms, requiring further medication. Similar things happen with each of the drugs you are on; hence the need for the super computer. This kind of drugs cascade overwhelms the body - especially the poor old liver which is desperately fighting to detoxify the body of the growing list of chemical poisons. The only beneficiaries of this kind of medicine are the pharmaceutical Big Boys, the doctors who do the dispensing and the politicians who get the campaign funding and perks.

Regard the deQuervain's tendinitis as being the canary in the coal mine. The canary is telling you that it is time to get off the medical production line that you are on and to take command of your health and your life. It is time for you to ditch those who are drugging you to a shorter life and for their profit. But do not stop suddenly: Please heed the advice that follows.

Sheila, this may sound harsh; but the fact you have been searching for answers other than surgery and questioning the advice given, tells me that you are probably ready to make some life-saving changes. Here is my prescription for health:

Search around where you live for an experienced, qualified natural health consultant. This person may be a health professional like a naturopath, chiropractor or even a medical practitioner who practices non-drug holistic health (they do exist). Be prepared to pay for their time to enlist their services to progressively wean yourself off each and every medication that you are on. It is time to go on a total health kick.

You must give this time Sheila - a minimum of three months of total dedication and then a lifetime of invigorating perseverance - no less than that. Do this right and you will reap life-changing rewards beginning with a new found sense of independence. After all, giving into all of these medicines is akin to raising the white flag to life, isn't it? You will save money. You will have a renewed vigour for life, you will look great and you will have years and years of living life to the max to look froward to. You are not old; you are younger than me and you still have half a lifetime to live and to love.

I am confident that the deQuervain's tendinitis will resolve of its own accord as your body's strength and vitality is steadily restored. Body - Heal thyself.

To help you in your quest, I am happy to act as an independent mentor. Please contact me anytime to toss over anything that you are uncertain of, or to get another opinion.

All the best Sheila and good luck with your quest.