When the wrist joint becomes inflamed, resulting in pain and irritation, the condition is called tendonitis. Tendonitis inflammation is caused by repetitive use of the tendons in the wrist, so people who conduct the same motions regularly such as factory workers, athletes and people who use a computer keyboard or mouse constantly, are prone to wrist tendonitis.
Treatment
Healing wrist tendonitis requires resting the affected area. Alleviating the pain can take as long as three weeks of rest, and full healing can take several additional weeks. Using the wrist sparingly, and only in ways that don't cause pain, is important. Icing the wrist when not in use helps prevent swelling and gives the tendons time to heal.
During the healing process, massage can be used to further healing and pain relief. If you hire a masseuse for this work, look for someone with experience with tendonitis patients. Tell your masseuse about your condition before beginning the massage so he or she can locate the swollen tendons to better relieve your pain.
Self-Massage
For some wrist tendonitis sufferers, self-massage helps relieve pain and inflammation. There are trigger points in the forearm that can be massaged to help reduce the pain of tendonitis in the wrist. One particular area on the forearm is responsible for most movements of the wrist, and focusing on this pressure point will offer significant pain relief. Find this spot by locating the bony nub on the outside of the elbow and moving down the forearm slightly until you feel a protruding bump. This is a major tendon group. Moving just an inch further down the forearm you will find a major pressure point. When you put pressure on it, it should feel tender to the touch.
Once you find the spot, try using friction massage. This simple massage technique is done by moving the fingers over the area where it is most tender. These strokes should move across the tendons -- meaning across the forearm -- rather than up and down. Begin by applying moderate pressure until it causes some discomfort. If there is no discomfort at all, you are in the wrong spot or the condition you have is probably not tendonitis. If it is too painful to the touch, press more lightly. If you can't stand to touch it at all, you should not use massage as a form of treatment.
When you begin to massage the area, any discomfort should subside after one or two minutes. If the discomfort remains the same or increases in intensity, the massage technique is not working and should be stopped. If it does subside, increase the pressure until you feel discomfort again and massage for one to two minutes more. The discomfort should subside again. Increase the pressure again and continue to massage the area. After one or two minutes of massage at this pressure, stop massaging and ice the area for two minutes or until the area is numb to prevent inflammation. This massage technique is ideal for tendonitis and can be done up to three times per day.
