Hi Chris,
Thanks for the input. This is the full story.
History is that I have had de Quervains for the last couple of years, which I put down to lifting my daughter when she was little with my thumbs in the wrong position. Initially I saw a physio but he suggested that I see a consultant with a view to having a steroid injection. So I had one in summer 2019. It was then fine until October when it just went, so I had another injection at the end of 2020.
It was then fine for a year, but, about 6-8 weeks ago I, quite suddenly, started to get pains at and around the base of my thumb. I felt it was different from de Quervains but in the same area. It's fine if I do nothing but certain movements hurt and it is sensitive if I touch the right spot. One thing that particularly hurts is putting on a tight glove, and someone said 'that sounds like tendons' so I went back to the consultant, who thought it might be de Q again, and suggested a third steroid injection for it. I had that and, as I expected, it made no difference.
I've now had an MRI scan, which has identified the suspected osteoarthritis - my doctor has said the joint between Trapezium and scaphoid is where he sees an issue
I'm not using painkillers regularly, as it doesn't hurt if I avoid it doing the wrong things. I have tried paracetemol and inbuprofen gel, which didn't do any harm, but didn't settle it down. I wore a thumb splint for a while (which I had from de Quervains) but have stopped as I can generally protect it without one.
If I squeeze it, it gets sore, up to 7 or 8, until I back off.
I'm 53
Not sure if temperature makes a difference to it. It is not a problem for cycling, and it doesn't bother me riding in the cold, even if my fingers are starting to go numb.
I have injured this thumb a few times over the years. At school I damaged it (x-ray was negative, but ever since that thumb has been very slightly rotated inwards compared to the other one. I got a cricket ball on the end of it and, in 2018, I had a mallet injury to it after falling off my bike.
Sounds like maybe hold off before the injection...? I agreed to the injection as it is pretty sore and I'd like to do something, and that was what was on offer.