What's wrong with my thumb?

[VampireTheBuffetSlayer]

Last year, I can't remember exactly when but probably early summer, my dog jolted on her lead and bent my thumb back. It caused pain in the joint between my thumb and hand and along the section of my hand down from my thumb to my wrist. The pain has eased over time but I still have constant low level pain in the area. I can move my thumb fine other than moving the top part of it down towards my palm which feels stiff and using it doesn't seem to make it worse. Sometimes I feel like I don't have as much strength there such as when opening jars. Is it possible that the jolt could have triggered arthritis? I don't want to make a GP appointment or get an x-ray as that seems excessive but don't feel like it's getting better on it's own. Any ideas?

Yes. See a doctor. You've had pain ever since and have lost strength yet you don't think it needs looking at?

I'm no expert but I know that hands are complicated. Could you have dislocated it?

Could be De Quervains Tenosynovitis. I have this and it can be really painful. I'm waiting for a steroid injection.

@campion

Yes. See a doctor. You've had pain ever since and have lost strength yet you don't think it needs looking at?

I'm no expert but I know that hands are complicated. Could you have dislocated it?

Agree.

@ArabellaRockerfella

Could be De Quervains Tenosynovitis. I have this and it can be really painful. I'm waiting for a steroid injection.

Oh wow, Arabella. I've done a quick google and that does sound like it. Do you know what caused it with you? Thanks for the replies, I will call the GP tomorrow. I hadn't because of Covid and thought they would be only dealing with more pressing problems. Glad I posted!

So strange that I've seen this tonight as I was just toying with the idea of starting a thread to ask "What's wrong with my finger?" as it's really hurting after my dog unexpectedly jolted her lead today!
For me it's my ring finger, I don't think it's broken but it's really sore, I can sort of make a fist but not as firmly as I can with my other hand, and it seems to be getting worse.

Don't know what caused it for me but swiping on my phone is not helping!!

Doesn't sound much like De'Quervains if you ask me.... tends to affect the extensor tendons proximal to the wrist where they cross over.

More like 'Skiers thumb' properly called Ulna collateral ligament injury.

Needs to be assessed by a hand surgeon as you may have had a stieda lesion which prevents it from healing properly and causes instability at the metacarpophalangeal joint.

In all cases, see a doctor, but you may, if it's long term, need tests. There are several tendons in the wrist/hand/arm that, if aggravated, can continue to cause low level problems, and can get worse over time. But realistically, they can sometimes be hard to differentiate, hence why tests may be required.

@FixTheBone

Doesn't sound much like De'Quervains if you ask me.... tends to affect the extensor tendons proximal to the wrist where they cross over.

More like 'Skiers thumb' properly called Ulna collateral ligament injury.

Needs to be assessed by a hand surgeon as you may have had a stieda lesion which prevents it from healing properly and causes instability at the metacarpophalangeal joint.

Thats interesting. Mine was diagnosed over a Zoom consultation after sending photos, a triage and x-ray. I just accepted the diagnosis. So my pain can be severe at times and prevent me from opening jars, door knobs, gripping pans etc. The pain is very localised about an inch above the wrist. There is a palpable and tender 'knot'. Do you think it's not De Quervains?

If anyone has damaged CMC joints (I do), can I recommend these?
They're not cheap, but I've found them a godsend, as they allow movement, but not so much you hurt yourself:
www.push.eu/products/hand-braces/push-ortho-thumb-brace-cmc
(Hope that's clicky).
I've had mine for two years and wear them every day. I had a cheaper version, but they broke. Besides me needing to stitch on new Velcro, these are still going.

When you say an inch above the wrist, do you mean toward or away from your fingers?

An inch toward your arm on the thumb side of the back of the wrist is the classic spot for de quervains

No, palm side, an inch above the wrist towards the thumb.

@FixTheBone

Doesn't sound much like De'Quervains if you ask me.... tends to affect the extensor tendons proximal to the wrist where they cross over.

More like 'Skiers thumb' properly called Ulna collateral ligament injury.

Needs to be assessed by a hand surgeon as you may have had a stieda lesion which prevents it from healing properly and causes instability at the metacarpophalangeal joint.

Now I've looked this up its possible I don't have De Quervains! But I don't recall a trauma/injury. Has been going on for at least 5 months. Who should I see? Physio, osteopath, back to GP? I'm on a waiting list for steroid injection, is this a mistake? Sorry to hijack your post OP!!!