What is Trigger Finger?
Trigger finger is one of the most common conditions that our hand doctors see at Elite Sports Medicine. This condition occurs when one of the fingers is stuck, causing locking or snapping.
What are the Symptoms of Trigger Finger?
The most common symptoms of trigger finger are locking or snapping. There also may be pain and stiffness, especially in the morning.
What Causes Trigger Finger?
There is not a specific cause of trigger finger; we see it in all types of patients ranging from sedentary people to very active people.
Although there is not a specific cause of this condition, certain people may be more likely to develop trigger finger. Conditions like diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and carpal tunnel syndrome may all increase the risk of developing trigger finger.
How is Trigger Finger Treated?
When you come to see one of our hand specialists at Elite Sports Medicine, they may recommend watching your symptoms to see if they worsen. They may also recommend steroid injections or surgery.
If you think you have trigger finger, but your condition is not bothering you, a hand doctor may recommend keeping an eye on the symptoms to see if they worsen. Sometimes the symptoms will go away on their own.
Steroid Injections for Trigger Finger
Steroid injections are typically the first treatment option that our hand doctors will recommend. Often times, trigger finger can be cured from the first injection. If your symptoms come back after the first injection, your hand doctor may recommend more injections or surgery.
One or two injections for trigger finger are completely safe. Once you get three or more injections there is risk of the tissues in the hand weakening. Although it rarely happens, it can cause the surrounding tendons to rupture. If you need more than two injections it is likely that you’re trigger finger will come back, so it typically makes the most sense to get surgery at that point.
Trigger Finger Surgery
Trigger finger surgery is not a long procedure; however, you may have symptoms for a few weeks up to one year.
Recovery After Trigger Finger Surgery
Most of the time, people can move right away and they start physical therapy after 2-3 days. For most people, symptoms like stiffness will last for a few weeks. For others, symptoms may last for a few months to one year.
Seek Help From a Hand Doctor Near You
If you think you may have trigger finger, seek help from a hand doctor near you. Our hand and upper extremity specialists in Nashville, TN are some of the best. To schedule an appointment, call us or request an appointment online.
Author: AMWN Dev
Related Articles
Whether through injury or the physical stress of engaging in sports, athletes endure a significant amount of pain. They end up having to learn various [...]
In addition to getting adequate sleep and rest, one of the key factors in promoting orthopedic health is ensuring that your spine stays in a [...]
Common Football Injuries: Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Football is one of the most physically demanding sports, requiring strength, agility, endurance, and split-second decision-making. While thrilling [...]
The American College of Rheumatology estimates that about 790,000 knee replacements occur in the United States annually. Post-knee surgery care is vital to helping you [...]
Foot injuries are one of the most common injuries that lead to a workers' compensation claim. Together, the human foot and ankle put in some [...]
"Hi everyone! My name is Mary Kay Carter, and I wanted to share a story that's really close to my heart. In late November 2022, [...]
Back to School: The Importance of Orthopedic Health for Students As summer draws to a close, students and parents alike start preparing for the new [...]
The 2022 American Joint Replacement Registry Annual Report compiled 2.8 million hip and knee procedures across all 50 states. It's an increase of 14% from [...]
When you have a problem with your foot or ankle that requires medical attention, who do you see for treatment — an orthopedist or a podiatrist? Many people think a podiatrist is the same as an orthopedist, but there are several significant differences betw
When you have a problem with your foot or ankle that requires medical attention, who do you see for treatment — an orthopedist or a podiatrist? Many people think a podiatrist is the same as an orthopedist, but there are several significant differences betw
