Month: November 2022

When you get a trigger finger, panic is a normal reaction. After all, it feels like your finger has its own mind, and you have no control over it. Sometimes it bends and snaps back into position. However, in extreme cases, the finger will remain bent.

Here are some of the FAQs about a trigger finger.

 

When Does Trigger Finger Occur?

A trigger finger usually occurs when the tendon is inflamed. The cause of the inflammation varies from person to person, but some people are at greater risk of getting a trigger finger. Women, people aged between 40 and 60 years, people with rheumatoid arthritis or diabetes, and those who perform tasks that strain their fingers are more likely to suffer from a trigger finger.

 

What Are the Symptoms of Trigger Finger?

A bent finger is the most evident sign of a trigger finger. However, there are other symptoms that you should watch keenly because they sometimes occur before the finger becomes severe. Symptoms include;

• Stiffness.
• Clicking sensation around the joints of the affected finger.
• Tenderness around the joints.

These symptoms tend to be more severe in the morning.

 

Can Trigger Heal Without Medical Intervention?

In the early stages, the trigger finger tends to correct itself. Unfortunately, the problem tends to recur, often progressing and becoming worse. Over time, the finger becomes bent, needing trigger finger surgery to correct it.

When caught early, therapy, such as splints, will help fix the trigger finger without surgery.

 

What Happens When Trigger Finger Is Not Treated?

Trigger finger is a progressive condition that starts with mild symptoms and becomes more severe. Unfortunately, when left untreated, the trigger finger becomes permanently bent.

You will have trouble performing regular tasks, and should you want to straighten your finger, you’ll have to use your other hand to force it. The swelling on the tendon may also become worse.

There is also the risk of other fingers getting affected. You may end up with more than one trigger finger, making it even harder to perform tasks with your hands.

 

When Should You Worry About Trigger Finger?

You should worry about the trigger finger when the joint feels hot and inflamed. The tendon sheath is at risk of infection, making the finger worse. It also means the other fingers are at risk of getting infected.

 

How Can You Stop Trigger Finger from Getting Worse?

A visit to the doctor is the best solution once you discover you have a trigger finger. If the doctor recommends trigger finger surgery, this is the best option. You may also perform multiple therapies, including resting your hand, using a splint, or taking anti-inflammation medicines.

If the tendons are swollen, your doctor may inject the affected area with steroids to reduce the swelling.

 

Is Trigger Finger A Sign of Arthritis?

People with arthritis are prone to getting a trigger finger, but not everyone with a trigger finger has arthritis. Since arthritis causes inflammation of the joints, the tendons in the fingers are also likely to be affected. The result will be a trigger finger.

Rheumatoid arthritis, gout, and psoriatic arthritis are the most common types of arthritis that are linked to the trigger finger. However, a trigger finger, on its own, is not considered a sign of arthritis.

Trigger finger surgery is the best solution for the trigger finger. However, the various therapies and avoidance of repetitive gripping and grasping will help keep it from recurring.

A trigger finger can hit you anytime, and it often comes unexpectedly. One moment your fingers are moving your fingers quickly as you go about your work. The next, the finger is bent, painful, and refuses to straighten.
If you are lucky, the finger will snap back to normal. However, once you start experiencing a trigger finger, it is best to have it assessed by a professional Hand Therapist or Surgeon before the symptoms become too severe. Mild cases do not require trigger finger surgery.

Causes

The cause of the trigger finger varies from one person to another. However, most doctors link it to repetitive finger movements. For example, when playing the guitar or gripping the steering wheel.

Sometimes, it is easier to identify the cause by looking at the high-risk groups.

These are the people most likely to be affected by the trigger finger.

• Women.
• People who are 40 – 60 years.
• People who’ve had hand injuries in the past.
• People with rheumatoid arthritis.
• People with diabetes.

Rheumatoid arthritis is one of the major causes of trigger fingers because it causes joint tissue swelling. Unfortunately, joint inflammation usually extends to the tendons in the thumbs and fingers, resulting in a trigger finger.

Another illness that can cause a trigger finger is diabetes. However, only about 10% of those with diabetes are at risk of getting a trigger finger.

Doctors believe collagen molecules build up in the tendon sheaths when blood sugar levels get so high. This results in a thick tendon sheath that affects the flexibility of the finger.

Treatment Of Trigger Finger

There are multiple treatments for the trigger finger. Some are non-surgical, while trigger finger surgery is an option for severe cases. Unfortunately, if you do not correct the trigger finger, it will remain permanently bent.

 

Non-invasive Treatments (Therapy)

Doctors often attempt therapy to see if the finger will heal without trigger finger surgery. Some of the most common therapy options include;

• Resting the fingers. This includes avoiding activities that require repetitive gripping, grasping, and the extended use of a hand-help machine. You should consider reducing the frequency if you have to keep doing these activities. You should also wear padded gloves for protection.
• Use a splint to keep the finger straight and keep it from moving. Most doctors recommend wearing a splint at night when the finger is resting. You may need to use the split for at least six weeks.
• Take anti-inflammatory medications, such as ibuprofen, to relieve pain and swelling of the tendons. Doctors inject a steroid at the base of the swollen tendon when they need to reduce the swollen tendons quickly to ease the pain. Unfortunately, steroid injections are not effective in people with diabetes.
• Stretching finger exercises to improve flexibility.

Non-invasive treatments are ideal when the symptoms are not severe. They are also often used in children because they don’t need trigger finger surgery.

 

Surgery

Trigger finger surgery is a solution when non-surgical treatment methods fail or in cases where the symptoms are too severe.

The percutaneous release method is one trigger finger surgery used by doctors. The doctor will insert a needle in the affected tendon with the help of ultrasound imaging and move it around until it opens the affected tendon sheath. This process is a little tricky because healthy tendons can easily be punctured.

The other trigger finger surgery is open surgery. Most doctors opt for this surgery because they make an incision on the finger and can see the extent of the tendon damage. If the tendon sheath is swollen, the doctor may cut some off the allow for easier movement of the finger.

Whatever the cause, you need to ensure the trigger finger is remedied. It would be best if you visited a hand surgeon to see the best treatment option.