Many new mothers feel the pain on the sides of both thumbs near wrist joints and the pain worsens when holding their babies. This disease is nicknamed “Mama’s hand”. Its official medical term is stenosing tenosynovitis of radial styloid, or De-Quervain’s Disease.  

Many tendons control the activities of the thumb and two of them (abductor pollicis longus muscle and extensor hallucis brevis muscle) are covered with a ganglion across the wrist. Tendonitis and tenosynovitis occur when wrists are excessively used, which leads to pain.

During the pregnancy, the space of ganglion narrows due to edema in limbs. The symptoms worsen when carrying babies for a long time after giving birth. Enlarged ganglion may occur when the symptoms last for a long time and patients will feel a lump on the wrist near the thumb. Some patients are concerned thinking it is a tumor; instead, it is an enlarged ganglion.

This disease is not exclusive to mothers, though. Anyone who uses wrists excessively has a chance of having this symptom, especially mid-aged females.

Patients should rest more, reduce the time of carrying babies or avoid excessive use of wrists. Other treatments include taking anti-inflammatory medicine or applying anti-inflammatory ointment, or even topical steroid injection. In most cases, the symptoms subside in time. However, surgical treatment to cut the enlarged ganglion open is recommended if not treated early or the treatments mentioned above do not work.

De-Quervain’s Disease is tendonitis and can be prevented by avoiding excessive use of wrists.