What can i do to my wrist to stop the pain? i was diagnosed with de quervains disease 6 months ago, wore a brace for a month and a half. it helped with the immediate pain. but since then i've been having a pain level of 5-6 everyday. it's been aching and

First, : First, you want to confirm the diagnosis. You may be having a trigger thumb, a problem with the flexor tendon sheath where the tendon catches on a band called a pulley. If there is increased resistance to thumb motion, you can have worsening of the dequervain's. Assuming it really is dequervain's, there are a few things to do. I emphasize to my patients that you must do them together to get the full benefit. Doing the whole program assures the best results: 1. Ice massage--gently glide raw ice over the area for 10-15 minutes 2-3 times a day. 2. Anti-inflammatories--advil, aleve, (naproxen) aspirin, etc. 3. Bracing--i like a brace that is custom made and bubbles out over the tendons to keep from irritating the area further. 4. Eccentric strengthening exercises--these exercise the muscles as they lengthen, rather than contract, and are demonstrated to have the most benefit in tendinitis. Your therapist should be versed in how to do these. In addition, an injection of a steroid preparation can be quite helpful in decreasing the pain and inflammation, but it is not a substitute for the above regimen. Once the pain is under control, it is important to gradually resume activities to avoid irritating the tendons again. However, over time you should be able to go back to doing everything without a brace. The vast majority of people who follow this program do not need surgery and are very pleased with the outcome. One last thought is that if you're having multiple areas of tendinitis or several joint problems, you should be checked for an inflammatory arthropathy or see a rheumatologist.

Pain management: You have already received an exceptionally thorough response. You could talk with your doctor about using acupuncture as an adjunctive treatment for your pain.