De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis Treatment

What is DQT?

De Quervain’s tenosynovitis is a painful condition that consists of swelling of the tendons that run along the thumb and side of the wrist. The most common cause of this condition is chronic overuse of the wrist. Repetitive hand or wrist movements can make the symptoms worse.

Symptoms include:

Pain & tenderness in the wrist
Pain & swelling near the base of the thumb
Difficulty moving the thumb and wrist when performing gripping or pinching tasks

Treatment is most beneficial when begun in the early stages of experiencing DQT. We have many modalities that we use to enhance the physiotherapy healing process.

Modalities used in this treatment:

Acupuncture with the acupen

By using acupuncture as part of the treatment plan for DQT, the acupuncture needle can pin point more specific parts of the tissue affected by the condition to provide more precise therapy. Acupuncture on its own triggers a healing response in the body but by adding the acupen to electrically stimulate the needle, this intensifies the body’s response to deliver healing properties and pain relief to the tissues.

Sliding cupping therapy

Cupping therapy brings additional benefit to the treatment plan. Cupping creates a suction sensation to the skin and underlying tissues allowing any pressure from swelling to be relived and helps reduce inflammation while promoting blood flow and relaxation. Sliding the cup along the tissues provides these benefits to all of the tissue affected creating a deep tissue massage sensation while also limiting the possibility of bruising from leaving the suction cup in one place for a longer period of time.

Massage gun

The massage gun is the cherry on top of these three treatments performed in one session. The massage gun relieves any additional stress to the tissues. It releases tension and increases the blood flow. When blood flows to the inflamed tissue it brings healing properties such as oxygen and nutrients to the muscles and pain relieving chemicals to help you live as pain free as possible between treatment sessions.

PhysioMax Wellness is a Physiotherapy clinic located in Burlington, Ontario. PhysioMax Wellness offers; physiotherapy, chiropractic care, massage therapy and more. We use manual therapies as well as various modalities to improve the rate of healing from injuries. Our goal is to work with you and for you to create personalized plans to recover from injuries and help your reach your health goals for conditions you may have.

Julia de Reijke RKin, CSEP-CPT, BASc Kinesiology (Hons), DipFTHP