This condition results from inflammation of thetendonsthat flex the fingers, causing pain and tenderness.
Tendons areconnective tissuesthat attach muscles to bone.
The causes of trigger finger are not always known.
Jorge Aguado Martin / Getty Images
Resting the hand and finger can often reduce your symptoms.
Any overexertion can damage the finger joint, which could lead to joint, tendon, or nerve damage.
Movement can lead to tissue damage and prolong your recovery time.
Regular movement of the fingers can also keep them from locking up.
For this exercise, keep the wrist straight.
You will want to exercise one finger at a time for the DIP joint-blocking exercise.
Extension involves moving the hand backward so the palm is facing up.
It is also a normal part of the wrist’s range of motion.
Heat can also increase blood flow.
you’re free to follow the massage with hand and finger stretches.
Adaptive Tools
Adaptive tools can help reduce the symptoms of trigger finger, including friction and inflammation.
Anti-inflammatory oral medications and topicals can help reduce pain and inflammation.
When inflammation is improved, the ability to move the affected finger gets better.
A healthcare provider can prescribe stronger oral and topical pain relievers for severe trigger finger.
Topical and oral pain relievers can be combined with other therapies, including splinting and hand and wrist exercises.
Does Trigger Finger Go Away on Its Own?
Trigger finger will not go away on its own.It typically gets worse without treatment.
Fortunately, most people can manage their symptoms with anti-inflammatory medicines and other conservative therapies.
If you are able to manage symptoms with self-care, the trigger finger will heal.
However, if conservative therapies fail, your healthcare provider will recommend seeing ahand specialistwho may recommend surgical treatments.
Corticosteroid Injections
Corticosteroids can be injected into the tendon sheath at the base of the affected finger.
In most cases, the injection can deal with the condition quickly and completely stop symptoms.
If symptoms do not improve with the first injection, a second one can be given.
If two injections do not help, surgery is often the next step.
Does Trigger Finger Always Require Surgery?
In most cases, the injection can fix the condition quickly and completely stop symptoms.
If you try nonsurgical treatment and the trigger finger does not resolve, your healthcare provider will recommend surgery.
They may also recommend surgery if the finger becomes permanently bent or locked or after two failedcorticosteroid injections.
This procedure is called a trigger finger release.
If symptoms continue further, part of the superficial tendon can be removed to reduce the tendon’s volume.
What Are Superficial Tendons?
Wrist Stretching
Different wrist stretches can help manage trigger finger symptoms and prevent them from getting worse.
Ball Squeeze
The ball squeeze uses a small ball to stretch and strengthen the fingers.
It can affect any finger, but it frequently affects the ring finger or thumb.
Trigger finger is also called stenosing tenosynovitis.
Others may need a second shot for long-term or complete relief.
Trigger finger will not go away without treatment.
If it worsens or is untreated, it can lead to limited finger motion.
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Trigger finger.
Massachusetts General Hospital.Trigger finger (stenosing tenosynovitis).
American Society for Surgery of the Hand.Trigger finger.
2019;7(8):e2360.
doi:10.1097/GOX.0000000000002360
Merry SP, O’Grady JS, Boswell CL.Trigger finger?
Just shoot!.J Prim Care Community Health.
2020;11:2150132720943345. doi:10.1177/2150132720943345
American Society for Surgery of the Hand.5 common hand and finger exercises.
American Society for Surgery of the Hand.Joints.
Knight J.11 trigger finger exercises to help your pain.The Hand and Wrist Institute.
Kaiser Permanente.Wrist and hand exercises.
doi:10.1002/14651858.CD012789
US Food and Drug Administration.FDA approves three drugs for nonprescription use through RX-to-OTC switch process.
HealthPartners.Trigger finger: why it happens and how to treat it.
2022;17(6):1098-1103. doi:10.1177/1558944720975137
Hosptial for Special Surgery.Trigger finger.
American Society for Surgery of the Hand.Tendons.