Mommy’s thumb is a condition often developed in new mothers. It restricts the movement of the hand and wrist along with mild to severe pains. Read this article to know more about mommy’s thumb, its cause, and treatment options.

Introduction

Also known as De Quervain’s tenosynovitis, Mummy’s Thumb makes the tendons of the thumb irritated due to which they rub against the sides of the pathway that encloses them. 

This tendonitis causes pain on the thumb side of the wrist. Easy activities like turning door- knobs, opening jars, and lifting and carrying children can be difficult.

The common symptoms of this condition are irritation in the tendons that extend the thumb in their surrounding health.  The severity of this condition grows to an extent where the movement of the thumb and wrist becomes difficult.

A common symptom of the condition is a bump is noticed in the affected area of the wrist. Before proceeding further, we must understand what are the causes behind the development of Mummy’s thumb.

What causes Mommy’s Thumb?

The exact cause behind the occurrence of the mummy’s thumb is not yet known. Many reasons have come up to be the potential causes behind the development of this condition. 

For normal functioning, the abductor pollicis Longus (APL) and extensor pollicis brevis ( EPB) tendons should slide smoothly through the sheath but owing to this condition, these tendons become swollen and irritated. This may also give rise to severe pains.

Here is a list of all the causes of mummy’s thumb

• Pregnancy

Mummy’s thumb usually develops in the last stage of pregnancy when women have to retain fluid. This leads to spelling within the areas in the hand and wrist. 

• After delivery

Mummy’s thumb also occurs after the delivery. During the first year of delivery, a mother’s life is completely baby ridden. Activities like holding and lifting babies for a long time, carrying them, etc. are the major factors responsible.

Also, mothers who breastfeed their babies hold the wrist in an uncomfortable position causing this condition.

• Other Reasons

Other activities that do not regard a mother at all such as lifting heavy boxes/ pots, lifting groceries, cooking for a long time are also responsible. 

Any activity that includes repetitive use of the thumb, infection, or surgery in this area of the hand is also likely to cause mummy’s thumb.

How to Treat Mummy’s Thumb?

Mommy’s thumb is a highly discomforting condition. Luckily, a lot of treatments have been deduced to treat the Mummy’s thumb. In this section, you will know about the treatments that are known to address this problem.

• Self Care

By self-care, we mean you need to check up on the way you lift your baby. It should be such that your wrist is not uncomfortable. The same is applicable while breastfeeding. Make sure your wrist is not uncomfortable or irritated. You can use a soft pillow under the baby’s head. The point is to make sure that the whole of the baby’s weight does not fall on your arm.

• Splint

You can use a splint in this situation as it is highly effective in immobilizing your thumb and the wrist and, luckily this is all needed to prevent the condition. You can completely get rid of the pains if you make use of a splint at the right time. 

• Surgery

The last option left after trying all the non-surgical methods is to go for surgery. Surgery is an elaborated and long-lasting solution. In surgery, the doctor completely removes the affected tissue from your hand. 

Surgery is a good option but it is recommended to go for surgery only when the condition is very severe. The main disadvantage of surgery is the physical therapies needed to recover from it.

• Wand

We must present before you the easiest and the most effective treatment available to treat Mummy’s thumb. A de Quervain wand is the best natural treatment available to address this condition. 

It is a wand, easy to use, comfortable, and inexpensive than all other treatments available. 

The best part of this treatment is that it is completely natural and has no side effects. In short, you should always go for de Quervain’s tenosynovitis natural treatment.

Conclusion

Hopefully, this article was a great help. Mummy’s thumb develops due to repeated usage of the thumb and the wrist. Pregnant women and new mothers are highly likely to develop this condition. This is because they have to lift, carry, and take care of their babies all the time. This problem can be highly discomforting due to two the pain and the inability to use the hand.

Many treatments are available to address this condition. It is highly recommended to go for non-surgical methods as they are more natural. You can make use of a de Quervain tape to find relief from this condition. It is an easier and a more natural approach to treat Mummy’s thumb.