Go Easy with those hands on the breast!

Now now. Before you start thinking naughty naughty thoughts on what this post is all about, let me just assure you that there is nothing of this sort.

After delivery, my wife over the last 1.5 months have suddenly developed an acute pain in her left wrist. It got worse to a point that she could not even hold a cup of water properly without feeling any pain. We bought a wrist guard thinking that she could have sprained her wrist but it doesn’t seem to help.

Finally, not being able to bear the pain much longer, we made an appointment to see an orthopaedic in Damansara Specialist Centre yesterday.

The moment we walked in and told him about the pain, he asked “Have you just given birth?” Both of us were astonished and asked him how he knew. (Looking back, it’s kind of foolish, asking a specialist whom is paid and is expected to know such things). He said “You have De Quervain’s Tendinitis.”

“Huh? What De Q…what?”

Apparently, De Quervain’s Tendinitis occurs when the tendons around the base of the thumb are irritated and constricted. Tendinitis meant that the tendons are swollen and hence the thickening of the tendons results in pain and tenderness along the thumb side of the wrist. Tendinitis is caused by overuse and can also be seen in association to pregnancy and is usually more common in middle-aged woman. (More information here) (My wife is going to kill me for calling her `middle-aged'. Sensitive word!)

He asked whether my wife has been overusing his left wrist or thumb lately. I gave her a quick glance and smiled. She has been faithfully expressing her breast milk for baby Ryan and have been vigorously massaging her breast using her left hand, putting a lot of pressure on her wrist and thumb. (She is adamant that she must have a certain volume each session!)

There you have it. Go easy with your hands when you are expressing breast milk. It might be hand that needs medication and not the breast.

The doctor gave her a cocticosteriods injection into the tendon sheath to reduce the swelling and pain, as well as a dose of anti-inflammatory medication. All in all, the 20 minutes visit cost us RM350. RM350 to learn a new medical jargon and spell it right too. DE QUERVAIN’S TENDINITIS. (Sounds like a spell from Harry Potter, doesn’t it?)