When to Use Hot & Cold Thumb Tendonitis Home Treatment?

Literally translated, tendonitis, or tendinitis, is an inflammation of a tendon. This painful injury often is caused by repetitive, stressful activity, such as throwing or shoveling. It is characterized by intense pain in the affected area that can be sudden or can worsen over time. The injured person may lose mobility in the affected area. At-home treatment of tendonitis, including cold and hot treatments, can help to ease the symptoms.

Ice vs. Heat

• Apply an ice pack to the base of the thumb or the thumb side of the wrist as soon as possible. You can simply wrap ice cubes in a towel or purchase a professional ice pack from a health or convenience store. The ice reduces the inflammation, which is what causes the pain and weakness of tendonitis. Apply the ice pack for 20 minutes, and then leave it off for at least 10 minutes. Repeat at least three times per day, or as necessary throughout the day when the symptoms worsen.

  Applying ice to a swollen or inflamed tendon limits blood flow to the area, which prevents swelling and inflammation.

  Use only ice on the affected area for at least the first 72 hours after the injury. Do not use heat during this sensitive time because heat relaxes muscles and also increases blood flow to the area, which increases inflammation. Increasing inflammation can lead to worsened pain and a longer recovery time.

  Also, do not apply heat directly to the area if there is any surface damage, such as scrapes or cuts. Heat will increase bleeding and burn sensitive skin.

  Once the swelling and pain have both begun to subside, apply heat to the same area to relax the muscles and allow them to heal better. Use a small heating pad or a rag soaked in hot water the same way you applied the ice pack, 20 minutes on, 10 minutes off. Following the ice regimen with heat provides the best relaxation and healing time for the tendonitis while limiting pain and swelling.

Other Advice

• The most important step in allowing tendonitis to heal is to give the tendon a rest. With thumb tendonitis, pain most often occurs in the thumb side of the wrist and sometimes can travel up the forearm. Writing, typing or twisting objects increases pain. Refrain from these sorts of activities to give the tendon a rest and time to heal.

  Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medicine such as ibuprofen can alleviate the pain of tendonitis by reducing swelling. Take these medicines as directed.

  If the pain and swelling has not gone away after a week of home treatment, see your doctor. Severe cases of tendonitis may need steroid shots, physical therapy or even surgery to relieve the symptoms. See a doctor before you aggravate the problem and make it worse.