Trigger finger, also called stenosing flexor tenosynovitis or stenosing tenosynovitis, is one of the most common causes of hand pain in adults. Trigger finger can affect any finger on your hand, but it most commonly affects the thumb and ring finger. Sometimes it’s referred to as trigger thumb.
Trigger finger occurs when the pulleys in your hand that allows your tendons to glide become swollen and thick. As a result, your fingers become stiff.
Our expert medical team at Douglas J. Abeles MD & Associates shares information about symptoms and treatment options for this common condition. Here’s what you need to know.
Contrary to what its name implies, it’s not caused by firing a gun. But it does make your fingers stiff and challenging to move so that if you were to fire a gun, you might have trouble.
Although many cases of trigger finger have no known cause, some factors make you more likely to develop this condition. These factors include:
People of any age, including children, and of either gender can develop trigger finger. And the condition can occur in one or more fingers.
Symptoms can be mild or severe and affect any finger(s). Common signs and symptoms include:
The symptoms and severity of your symptoms help guide us in developing a treatment plan.
The first treatment line usually includes resting your hand, taking anti-inflammatory medication, and massaging your fingers and hands. To help rest your finger, we may recommend a splint. As the pain and swelling subside, you may consider hand exercises and modifying your activities.
If noninvasive treatments are not effective, we may recommend a surgery called trigger finger release. This surgery reduces pain and stiffness and increases mobility.
Do you have pain and stiffness in your fingers? Call us today at the office of Douglas J. Abeles & Associates to make an appointment with one of our expert providers to find relief. You don’t have to live with the pain and discomfort.
