Trigger finger treatment is necessary to fix the condition. If trigger finger is not treated, the pain, swelling, and stiffness will get progressively worse. In severe cases, you'll no longer be able to straighten the affected finger. The two treatment options for trigger finger are cortisone injections and surgery.
In most cases, trigger finger is a nuisance rather than a serious condition. However, if it is not treated, the affected finger or thumb may become permanently stuck in a bent position. This can make carrying out everyday tasks difficult.
Trigger finger usually occurs in your dominant hand; ignoring your trigger finger pain will likely result in one or more of the following: Increasing worsening of the condition, causing partial disability which might interfere with accomplishing simple daily tasks. Increasing pain and discomfort in the finger and hand.
In a severe case of trigger finger, the digit locks and becomes stuck in a bent position. Sometimes the patient must use their other hand to straighten the finger or thumb manually. In the worst cases, the digit can't be straightened at all without intervention by a healthcare provider.
Trigger finger gets worse with overuse. So persons should recognize any triggers and avoid activities causing the pain. Over-the-counter medicines like NSAIDs can help at this point. Proper pain management can restore range of motion in many cases.
Our recent study found that 10% of older patients undergoing carpal tunnel release surgery were positive for amyloidosis, with 20% of that group presenting with cardiac involvement. 60% of the amyloid-positive group had a history of trigger finger.
If trigger finger is not treated, the pain, swelling, and stiffness will get progressively worse. In severe cases, you'll no longer be able to straighten the affected finger.
How long you experience symptoms depends on which digits have trigger finger and how severe the symptoms are. It can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months of nonsurgical treatments to get your fingers or thumb back to their usual function. Ask your provider what to expect and how long you'll need treatment.
Locked fingers, known as trigger finger, are more common among people with diabetes than in the general population. A study led by Lund University in Sweden shows that the risk of being affected increases in the case of high blood sugar. The study has been published in Diabetes Care.
Trigger finger is a progressive hand condition. Over time, trigger finger can worsen without proper treatment. The fingers could remain locked in a bent position or in a straight position (less common). You may need to use your other hand to straighten the bent finger.
Needle procedure.
After numbing your palm, a member of your care team inserts a sturdy needle into the tissue around your affected tendon. Moving the needle and your finger helps break apart the tissue that's blocking the smooth motion of the tendon. Using ultrasound guidance during the procedure can improve results.
Surgery may initially cause some pain or soreness. Doctors may recommend over-the-counter painkillers for relief. Immediately after surgery, a person should be able to move their finger or thumb. Be gentle with movements at first; full movement can be expected to return in 1 to 2 weeks.
The main cause of trigger finger is swelling and inflammation around the tendon. Without treatment, the finger may become locked in the bent position. People who have hobbies or jobs that require repetitive gripping or squeezing are more likely to develop trigger finger, as are people with diabetes.
Since trigger finger is caused by inflammation of the finger tendon, ball squeeze exercise works well in relaxing its symptoms such as stiffness, popping and snapping sensation.
Trigger finger surgery is considered minor surgery and is typically an outpatient procedure. Trigger finger surgery typically takes approximately 20 minutes. You should expect some pain after the procedure.
The ring finger is most commonly affected, followed by the thumb (trigger thumb), long, index, and small fingers in patients with multiple trigger digits [21, 28].
Those with ring fingers the same length or shorter than their index fingers are at most risk of a heart attack in their thirties and forties, the researchers found.
The study has associated cases of trigger finger with high blood pressure, meaning people with diabetes are more susceptible to the condition than the general population. When someone has trigger finger, the ring finger or thumb can get stuck in a bent position and can be difficult to straighten out.
There are symptoms of clubbing of the fingers, called “Hippocratic fingers”, in which the ends of the fingers are swollen. This condition may indicate serious heart problems, because the body suffers from a chronic lack of oxygen.
You will be kept comfortable and safe by your anesthesia provider. You may get medicine that relaxes you or puts you in a light sleep. The area being worked on will be numb. The surgery will take less than 1 hour.