Menopause Worries ⑧: Don't Underestimate Tenosynovitis
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During menopause, rapid changes in female hormones make tenosynovitis more likely to occur, often causing pain and swelling in the wrists, the base of the fingers, and around the elbows.
Causes
During menopause, estrogen secretion drops sharply. Estrogen works to maintain the flexibility of tendons, tendon sheaths, and joints, and helps suppress inflammation. Therefore, the decrease in hormones causes the tendon sheaths to harden, making the tendons slide less smoothly and increasing the likelihood of inflammation. Additionally, changes in progesterone affect tendon contraction, further increasing the risk of tenosynovitis. Furthermore, autonomic nervous system imbalances and stress hinder the recovery of tendons and fascia, acting as factors that worsen symptoms.
In January of this year, I fell while chasing my dog, who looked like he was about to have an accident, and I landed on both hands.
Since I had sprained my wrists several times before, I didn't worry about it, didn't apply any compresses, and went about my day as usual. However, since the pain wouldn't go away, I tried applying over-the-counter Loxonin tape. After a week, the pain still hadn't subsided, so I visited an orthopedic clinic.
I was prescribed two weeks' worth of compresses and oral painkillers, and was instructed to rest.
Because I had injured my wrists, I struggled with:
• Picking up my dog for care
• Changing clothes
• Using the toilet
• Bathing
• Driving
• Using a computer
• Opening plastic bottles or jar lids
• Using scissors
• Carrying a bag, etc.
I was stunned that I couldn't even perform basic movements...
As the days passed, my wrists and entire arms became intensely painful, and even moving my hands slightly caused severe pain.
I returned two weeks later, and due to the extreme pain, it was decided that I would receive a steroid injection.
Both hands were painful, but the left hand was particularly bad, and the pain when the needle entered my left wrist brought tears to my eyes.
(And I almost went into anaphylactic shock from the steroid injection → I wrote about this in Menopause Worries ⑥: Various Allergy Symptoms)
After that, I tried to rest as much as possible, but when I used my right hand while protecting my left (I am left-handed), my right hand became even more painful. It took nearly a month of wearing a supporter for the severe pain to subside.
In addition to compresses, I tried various things like acupuncture, moxibustion, and low-frequency therapy, but the pain never completely disappeared, and even now, six months later, both hands still hurt a little.
And right now, it hurts a little more than it did a month ago.
Although I searched and read blogs, they often say that it is "difficult to heal" and "prone to recurrence."
I keenly feel that I am no longer young, and I deeply regret not applying a compress or going to the hospital immediately after the injury.
"Don't underestimate tenosynovitis."
Thank you for reading until the end.🙏
