Trigger finger is a condition resulting from inflammation of the flexor tendon of the fingers.
Flexor tendons bend the finger as if you were squeezing a trigger.
We think of our index finger as our trigger finger, but the condition can occur in any finger.
The medical term for trigger finger is stenosing tenosynovitis.
A tendon is a part of a muscle that connects it to bone.
The flexor tendons run along each of your fingers and connect to muscles in your forearm.
If a nodule forms on an inflamed flexor tendon, it becomes even harder to extend the finger.
Luckily there are a number of effective trigger finger treatments.
The pain usually starts at the base of the affected finger where it meets the palm.
At first, it may only hurt when youre trying to use your hand.
Over time, however, it may begin to hurt at rest.
Inflammation causes the tendons protective sheaths to swell and hurt.
How Is Trigger Finger Diagnosed?
Trigger finger and trigger thumb are typically pretty easy to diagnose.
Most of the time, you and your doctor will start with a medical history.
Be prepared to answer questions such as:
Then your doctor will examine your finger.
There are a few types, and theyll often be done at the same time.
Its the fourth-most common referral to hand surgeons.
More than half of cases of trigger finger go away after the first corticosteroid injection.
That jumps to 85 percent after the second.
How did my trigger finger happen?
Some of these questions are designed to tease out why you developed trigger finger in the first place.
Often, trigger finger has no known cause, but your case might have something specific causing it.
Is there anything you’ve got the option to do for me today?
What can I do at home?
Adopting a more plant-based, anti-inflammatory diet can also help.
Should I consider surgery?
