What is trigger finger?
Trigger finger occurs due to inflammation of the tendons that flex your fingers, causing finger tenderness and pain. The condition limits your finger’s movement and can make it difficult to straighten and bend your finger.
Common early symptoms include:
- a lingering soreness in the base of your thumb or another finger
- a bump or lump around the base of your finger near the palm
- tenderness around the base of your finger
- a clicking or snapping noise with movement
- stiffness in your finger
If you don’t get treatment for it, trigger finger can progress. Advanced symptoms include a thumb, another finger, or both being locked in a bent or straight position. You may also be unable to uncurl your finger without using the other hand if you have an advanced case of trigger finger.
The symptoms of trigger finger tend to be worse in the morning. The finger typically starts to relax and move more easily as the day goes on.
Your fingers have several small bones. Tendons connect these bones to muscles. When your muscles contract or tighten, your tendons pull on your bones to move your fingers.
Long tendons, called flexor tendons, extend from your forearm to the muscles and bones in your hands. Flexor tendons slide through a flexor tendon sheath, which is like a tunnel for the tendon. If the tunnel narrows, your tendon can’t move easily. This is what occurs in trigger finger.
When the tendon slides through the narrowed sheath, it becomes irritated and swells. Motion becomes extremely difficult. Inflammation may cause a bump to develop, which further restricts movement. This results in your finger staying in a bent position. It becomes extremely difficult to straighten.
Some people are more likely to have trigger finger than others. For example, according to the Mayo Clinic, it’s more common in women than in men.
Other risks factors associated with trigger finger include:
- being between the ages of 40 and 60
- having diabetes
- having hypothyroidism
- having rheumatoid arthritis
- having tuberculosis
- performing repetitive activities that can strain your hand, such as playing a musical instrument
According to the Cleveland Clinic, trigger finger most commonly affects musicians, farmers, and industrial workers.
A doctor can usually diagnose trigger finger with a physical exam and some simple questions about your medical history.
Your doctor will listen for characteristic clicking upon movement. They’ll look for a bent finger. They may also watch you opening and closing your hand. Diagnosis typically won’t require an X-ray or other imaging tests.
At-home treatments
Treatments depend on the severity of the symptoms. At-home treatments include:
- taking a break from repetitive activities for four to six weeks
- wearing a brace or splint to restrict motion and rest the hand
- applying heat or ice to reduce swelling
- placing your hand in warm water several times throughout the day to relax the tendons and muscles
- gently stretching your fingers to enhance their range of motion
Medications
Medications may help relieve inflammation. Anti-inflammatory medications include:
- ibuprofen (Advil)
- naproxen (Aleve)
- prescription anti-inflammatories
- steroid injections
Surgery
If medications and at-home treatments don’t work, your doctor may recommend surgery. Surgeons perform surgery for trigger finger on an outpatient basis. After you get an anesthesia shot, your surgeon makes a small cut in the palm and then cuts the tightened tendon sheath.
As the tendon sheath heals, the area is looser, helping your finger move more easily. Surgery risks include infection or ineffective surgical results.
Surgery recovery can take a few weeks to six months. Your doctor may recommend hand exercises to relieve post-surgery stiffness. As a general rule, once the doctor releases the tendon sheath, the tendon can move freely.
You should be able to return to your normal activities within a few days. Your doctor will remove the sutures in 7 to 14 days.
Lifestyle changes and avoiding certain activities are often effective treatments for trigger finger.
Corticosteroid treatment may also be effective, but the symptoms may return after this treatment.
According to a study published in the
These symptoms typically came back several months after receiving the shot. However, the injection is quick and simple. It can allow you to put off having surgery until a time that’s more convenient.
The researchers in this study also found that participants with insulin-dependent diabetes, who were also younger and had several symptomatic fingers, were more likely to have symptoms return.