Are you currently dealing with a trigger finger? First of all, we understand how frustrating it can be. The condition can cause a lot of pain that inhibits your ability to carry out routine tasks, preventing you from doing many of the things that you normally enjoy.
That said, if you do not know what a trigger finger is or are looking for solutions to treat the condition, we are going to shed light on the topic in this article.
What is a trigger finger?
Trigger finger is also known as stenosing tenosynovitis. It is the inflammation of the tendons responsible for the movement of your fingers. An individual dealing with a trigger finger will feel pain or discomfort when trying to bend or straighten their fingers because of the inflammation. At the same time, it can also cause the finger to feel tender.
What are the symptoms of trigger finger?
The early symptoms of the condition include soreness in the finger, especially at the base of the thumb, and a lump at the base of your fingers that, when pressed, can be painful. Other symptoms that can indicate trigger finger can also be a feeling of stiffness, clicking or popping noises when moving the finger, and pain when you try to bend the finger.
If you notice any of these symptoms early on, it is highly recommended that you head to the doctor immediately. Otherwise, the conditions can worsen to the point that you can no longer straighten your fingers.
What are the causes of trigger finger?
There are a few causes of the condition, as well as a myriad of factors that can increase the possibility. For instance, people dealing with rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes, and hypothyroidism are at significantly higher risk of developing trigger fingers. Nevertheless, they all affect the tendons that connect the individual bones in your fingers to the muscles.
Generally, the trigger finger develops because the “tunnel” that your tendons go through has narrowed. This presses and irritates the tendons, causing them to inflame and eventually lead to difficulty in straightening the finger.
How do you treat a trigger finger?
In most cases, surgery must be performed to treat the condition. However, there are a few non-invasive treatments you can do by yourself to help address the problem.
If you have been doing repetitive actions with your fingers, for instance, take a break from them for the meantime. You can put splinters on your fingers to keep them from moving too much.
You can also apply heat or cold to the painful areas to reduce the swelling. Do this by dipping your hand in either cold or warm water several times throughout the day to reduce the inflammation and relax the muscles and tendons.
You can also opt for anti-inflammatory drugs to relieve the pain and reduce swelling or do some slow exercises that gently stretch your finger muscles and tendons.
If none of that works, you will need to go for surgery. This procedure is known as Tenolysis and is aimed at addressing the trigger finger by making a small incision to release the tightened tendon tunnel (tendon sheath). After this, you might undergo physical therapy to help relieve any stiffness you might be faced with.
Conclusion
If you start to notice the aforementioned symptoms in your hands, seek treatment immediately. If it is not too painful, you can try and address the problem by yourself by having breaks, taking meds, and doing gentle exercises.
If all that fails, head straight to the doctor. You might be given a solution that does not include surgery if the condition is not severe. Otherwise, go ahead with the surgery. While it will be a few days to heal completely, it will be the most effective way to treat stenosing tenosynovitis.
In need of treatments for trigger fingers in North Florida? From trauma and tendinitis to trigger fingers and more, we offer the best hand and wrist care!
