For the past few weeks, my dominant hand has been dealing with "mommy thumb," and the pain has been unreal. I followed everything the doctor told me to do: applying ice, doing the exercises, and using a thumb splint. Those measures kept it from worsening, but it never seemed to improve. So I chose to begin a BCP-157 and TB 500 protocol and see whether that would make a difference. During my research on those peptides, I found information about arm scraping as a way to get relief, so I gave it a try. After watching a number of YouTube videos, I went ahead and did it. It brought me more relief than anything else in a month! It was not a miraculous cure or anything like that, but the improvement was significant. I have the proper tool on order and plan to continue both the scraping and the peptides. My hope is that this works, since the doctor told me that if it does not resolve, cortisone shots or surgery could be necessary.
"Mommy Thumb" has driven me crazy
- Thread starter HistLady
- Start date
Not a parent here…so what are you moms doing to your thumbs?!?( LOL sorry, I've simply never heard of that condition.)
Really glad you're on the mend! Here's hoping things keep improving.
Side note: if mommy thumb matches what I'm picturing — pain when moving or touching — idk which exercises you were handed, but if these aren't already in your routine, look them up on YT and give them a try if they seem useful, just don't overdo: chin tuck, median nerve glide & maybe radial nerve glide and ulnar nerve glide. (For videos I rate the physical therapists Dr. Jo and Bob& Brad, they are legit.)
Really glad you're on the mend! Here's hoping things keep improving.
Side note: if mommy thumb matches what I'm picturing — pain when moving or touching — idk which exercises you were handed, but if these aren't already in your routine, look them up on YT and give them a try if they seem useful, just don't overdo: chin tuck, median nerve glide & maybe radial nerve glide and ulnar nerve glide. (For videos I rate the physical therapists Dr. Jo and Bob& Brad, they are legit.)
spanky2026
Explorer
Yeah, same here, I don't have kids so I'm trying to work out what Mom Thumb actually is? I work as a potter, is it similar to Potters Wrist?
The medical term for this is de Quervain's tenosynovitis. Because new mothers often develop it from repeatedly lifting their newborns, it's commonly referred to as "mommy thumb." The swelling appears on the thumb side of the hand. Does that sound anything like Potter's wrist?
spanky2026
Explorer
When you work with clay, your wrists and thumbs are constantly in use, so it makes sense that this shows up often, whether someone has been at it for years or is just starting out. The good news is there are 1000 different approaches to throwing on a wheel, which means we can tweak things. Picking up a baby, though, probably doesn't come with 1000 different options!
skeptick
Explorer
I'd never come across this until now. Today I hit 76 (happy birthday to me), and with 6 kids — 4 girls and 2 boys — I figure I did plenty of lifting them. So what is it about picking them up that messes with the thumb? It's not like you're supposed to grab them the way you'd grab a bowling ball...