The key difference between de Quervain’s tenosynovitis and carpal tunnel is that de Quervain’s tenosynovitis is a condition that causes the swelling of the tendons located along the thumb side of the wrist and base of the thumb, while the carpal tunnel is a condition that causes the numbness, weakness, pain in the hand and wrist.
There are different medical conditions that affect the wrist. These conditions may include De Quervain’s tenosynovitis, carpal tunnel, osteoarthritis, and ganglion cyst. Moreover, these conditions commonly result in wrist pain. De Quervain’s tenosynovitis and carpal tunnel are two wrist conditions.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis
3. What is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
4. Similarities – De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
5. De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis vs Carpal Tunnel in Tabular Form
6. Summary – De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis vs Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
What is De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis?
De Quervain’s tenosynovitis is a common condition that results in tendon inflammation. It is a painful condition of the tendons located along the thumb side of the wrist and the base of the thumb swell. This condition is named after a Swiss surgeon, “De Quervain” who first described it in 1895. De Quervain’s tenosynovitis affects women 8 to 10 times more often than men. The causes of De Quervain’s tenosynovitis include overuse, a direct blow to the thumb, repetitive grasping, and inflammatory conditions such as arthritis. The symptoms of this condition are pain along the thumb side of the wrist, pain that worsens when using the hand and thumb, sudden pain or pain developing over time, pain that travels into the thumb or from wrist to the forearm, difficulty when moving the thumb and feeling of snapping sensation in the wrist when moving the thumb.
Moreover, De Quervain’s tenosynovitis can be diagnosed through physical examination and the Finkelstein test. Furthermore, treatment options for De Quervain’s tenosynovitis include using splints, applying ice to the thumb, taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (naproxen, ibuprofen, and steroid injections), and surgery.
What is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition that causes numbness, weakness, and pain in the hand and wrist. This is a neurological disorder. It occurs when the median nerve that runs from the forearm to the palms of the hand becomes pressed. The contributing factors for this condition include trauma, imbalance of the pituitary gland, rheumatoid arthritis, mechanical problems in the wrist joint, fluid retention during pregnancy, development of cyst or tumor, sex (women are affected more likely), having diabetes or other metabolic disorders, sleeping repeated on the bent wrist, and increasing age. The symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome include numbness, particularly at night, a feeling that the fingers are swollen, a tingling sensation of the fingers, mild to severe pain, some loss of movement in the hand, and hand weakness.
Carpal tunnel syndrome can be diagnosed through physical examination, X-ray, wrist tests such as the Tinel test, Phalen test, nerve conduction test, electromyography, ultrasound, and MRI. Furthermore, treatment options for carpal tunnel syndrome include splinting, avoid day time activities that provoke this condition, over-the-counter drugs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin, ibuprofen, and other non-prescription pain relievers), prescription medications (corticosteroids such as prednisone), exercise, alternative therapies, vocations or occupational therapies and surgery (carpel tunnel release, open release surgery, and endoscopic surgery)
What are the Similarities Between De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
- De Quervain’s tenosynovitis and carpal tunnel syndrome are two wrist conditions.
- Both these conditions can commonly cause wrist pain.
- They affect women more than men.
- Both these conditions can be diagnosed through physical examination.
- They are treated through specific medications like pain relievers, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and specific surgeries.
What is the Difference Between De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis and Carpal Tunnel?
De Quervain’s tenosynovitis is a condition that causes the swelling of the tendons located along the thumb side of the wrist and the base of the thumb, while carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition that causes numbness, weakness, and pain in the hand and wrist. Thus, this is the key difference between de Quervain’s tenosynovitis and carpal tunnel. Furthermore, De Quervain’s tenosynovitis is caused by overuse, a direct blow to the thumb, repetitive grasping, and inflammatory conditions such as arthritis. On the other hand, carpal tunnel syndrome is caused by pressing or squeezing the median nerve that runs from the forearm to the palms of the hand.
The below infographic presents the differences between de Quervain’s tenosynovitis and carpal tunnel in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.
Summary – de Quervain’s Tenosynovitis vs Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
De Quervain’s tenosynovitis and carpal tunnel syndrome are two wrist conditions. Both these conditions may have similar symptoms, such as wrist pain. However, De Quervain’s tenosynovitis is a condition that causes the swelling of the tendons located along the thumb side of the wrist and base of the thumb, while carpal tunnel syndrome is a condition that causes numbness, weakness, and pain in the hand and wrist. So, this summarizes the difference between de Quervain’s tenosynovitis and carpal tunnel.
Reference:
1. “De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis Symptoms and Treatment.” OrthoInfo.
2. “Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.” National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Stenosing tendondosynvitis of thumb De Quervain” By Δρ. Χαράλαμπος Γκούβας (Harrygouvas) – Own work by the original uploader (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Carpal Tunnel Syndrome” By Blausen.com staff (2014). “Medical gallery of Blausen Medical 2014”. WikiJournal of Medicine 1 (2). DOI:10.15347/wjm/2014.010. ISSN 2002-4436. – Own work (CC BY 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia