Kitty, mine is the worst case scenario!? Don't panic!!!
I have had de Quervain’s tenosynovitis since October 2014, it is much better than it was! I first became aware of mine, as I was getting into my car to go to work one morning, I had a shooting pain in my hand and I thought, OUCH. It just got steadily worse until I saw my consultant in November of that year.
The important thing is rest! I was told to stay off work, ignored the advice, thought, as per usual, that I was indestructible!! ? I went back the following week to the hospital and was told to stay off work for six weeks and not to use my hands. ? Mine was complicated by my RA and I never to returned to work.
In fact I had to have steroids injected into my left hand only last week.
The moral is, early intervention and follow the advice given!