Left wrist pain going on 2 years

Hello!!

Two years ago, I was very fit and active. I was doing things like pull-ups, weighted push-ups, and dips in the gym. I was basically at my peak strength. During this time, I noticed that my left wrist started to hurt when bent at 90° under load (during push-ups). I looked some stuff up online and switched to using dumbbells when doing push-ups which helped for a while, while doing some PT for my wrist. Eventually, the wrist pain started happening again anyway.

The pain would feel like stabbing in the area of the middle of the wrist to the thumb tendon, and only when bent and usually only under load. Sometimes this pain presents when doing things like washing dishes or pushing a vacuum, or pulling on a seat belt. It will get inflamed and irritated for days if I’ve done activities where it hurt a lot the day prior. I saw someone who suspected de quervains and gave me a cortisone shot, which only atrophied my skin. I started doing strengthening exercises/stretches and more grip training which didn’t help. Later, I saw someone else who recommended de quervains surgery. I had x rays done and nothing could be seen, but I opted out of the surgery because it didn’t feel right. I have never had significant pain when tucking the thumb in the fist and pulling the wrist out. At this point I had completely stopped lifting and was avoiding anything that would cause pain. I also tried KT tape and braces, but neither provided lasting relief.

Recently, my right wrist was having sharp pain and when I went to sleep, I woke up with it being visibly swollen on the middle back of my wrist without me doing anything to it. I don’t lift, I don’t play sports, and I am careful with my wrists when doing day to day activities, so this was odd. It was painful to bend the wrist both down and up and felt warm on the visibly swollen area. It also was painful to touch the swollen area. I suspected a cyst and had someone use an ultrasound tool, and they saw tendon inflammation on both wrists (with the right one being worse). The same week I saw a new orthopedic doctor who did an MRI. MRI was completely clear and she recommended taking amitriptyline and starting PT as I have other chronic pain issues that seem like fibro, and she thought the wrist pain could be nerve related, even though there was visible swelling and I’ve never had burning/tingling/numbness, and the pain only happens with the movement. The right wrist being randomly inflamed resolved in a matter of a handful of days.

Today I saw yet another ortho who told me there’s nothing he can do. I asked if he suspected dorsal impingement and he said he wasn’t sure because I didn’t present classically with it and that this is probably related to my inflammatory health issues I’ve been dealing with. I start with PT this week and have been on the new meds for a week now. I’m at a total loss because I had to stop working out due to my other pain issues, but this wrist pain is so frustrating as it impacts my day to day and I’ve dealt with the left one for 2 years now. It would be extremely beneficial for me to be able to at least do yoga to help with the chronic pain and feel like I’m doing something active, but I can’t put my weight on the wrist if I’m on all 4s or sit and lean with my left hand behind me on the floor. With my right wrist suddenly having a problem, even though it went away, I’m worried that I will eventually lose out on that wrist as well.

Has anyone had something similar happen, with chronic swelling/irritation of the tendons on the back of the wrist with stabbing under load? Any advice or things I should try? I’m totally at a loss and don’t know where to go from here. If you made it this far, sorry for the book lol