The essence of de Quervain's disease is mechanical irritation and inflammation of the tendon sheaths of the thumb extending and abducting muscles. The symptom of the disease is pain on the dorsal part of the thumb and the wrist area under the thumb, which increases with grasping and manipulative movements of the hand, and softens when resting. There may be slight swelling and tenderness of the dorsal part of the thumb. The occurrence of the above symptoms should prompt you to visit an orthopedist who will assess the condition of the tendon sheaths, exclude the presence of other pathologies and propose appropriate treatment.

Conservative treatment of de Quervain's disease consists of:

- wearing an orthosis that stabilizes the wrist and the metacarpophalangeal joint of the thumb,
- avoiding movements that exacerbate pain in the thumb and wrist,
- myofascial therapy,
- treatments in the field of physical therapy,
- the use of anti-inflammatory drugs.

In case of severe ailments, a blockade is performed, i.e. a corticosteroid is administered to the inflamed tendon sheath. If the conservative treatment is unsuccessful, a surgical procedure is performed to remove adhesions that prevent the free sliding of the thumb tendons. After the surgery, it is necessary to participate in rehabilitation, which includes scar mobilization, restoration of full thumb mobility and gradual strengthening of the grip strength.

De Quervain's disease is a term used to refer to two different conditions - thumb muscle tenosynovitis and thyroiditis.