Trigger finger is a condition when the finger gets locked in a bent position. It is often painful and affects the every day activities of patients. In this article I would like to share with you what is a trigger finger, the causes, treatments available and some home remedies.
Overview
Trigger finger is a condition when the finger gets stuck in a bent position. This can affect any of the fingers. In most cases it is one hand, but sometimes it could affect both hands at the same time.
This is called trigger finger because often when patients try to straighten the finger it comes with a snapping sound, like a trigger being pulled and released.
Some symptoms of trigger finger include:
- Finger stiffness
- A popping sensation as you move your finger
- Tenderness or a bump in the palm at the base of the affected finger
- Finger locked in a bent position and it is difficult to straighten it
These symptoms are usually worst in the mornings and will get better as more movement throughout the day.
Causes
Trigger finger is also known as ‘stenosing tenosynovitis’. Where ‘stenosing’ means a narrowing or constriction of the diameter of a bodily passage, ‘tenosynovitis’ means inflammation of tendon sheaths. I will explain this in further details below.
Tendon is a cord of fibrous tissue that attaches our muscle to the bones. And in order for our bones to move we have to contract/relax the muscles so tendons can then move the bones.
On our fingers there are connective tissues known as pulleys that attaches the tendon to our finger bone.
When we bend our fingers the tendons glides through the pulley smoothly. However if there are inflammation on the tendons, it becomes difficult to glide through the pulley. This causes pain and a locked sensation. Prolonged irritation of the tendon can even produce scarring, thickening, and even formation of bumps in the the tendon.
Some people who are at higher risk at getting trigger finger include:
- People who does repetitive gripping actions daily such as chefs, office workers, workers who lifts heavy constant etc.
- Women are more common than Men
- People who have medical conditions such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis.
Treatment
Always seek medical care immediately since it is always good to get an accurate diagnosis and recommendation from a professional. Also the earlier that this is being treated, the easier it will heal, and to prevent any chronic problems.
1. Modern Medicine
Medical doctors would often prescribe nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that helps to relieve the pain. Doctors might also inject steroid medication to the tendon sheath to reduce inflammation, thus allowing the tendon to glide freely. Sometimes doctors would suggest surgery and cut a small incision at the constricted pulley for the tendons to glide smoothly.
2. Acupuncture
Acupuncture have been found to be effective in treating trigger finger. Following is a quote by a research by PubMed,
QUOTE “Acupuncture at the impaired A1 pulley site may be an effective treatment for trigger finger. We postulate that acupuncture may reduce inflammation/swelling of the synovial membrane of the tendon sheath, which predominates when the disorder is of short duration.” UNQUOTE
Link to research paper HERE.
3. Chinese Herbal Medicine
A licensed herbalist may prescribe you with herbal medicine that can help to reduce the inflammation, and smoothening the blocked energy channels in the hand.
Home Remedies
1. Rest
As repeated gripping is one of the main causes of trigger finger. Patients with trigger finger should try rest, and to avoid any activities that require repeated gripping or grasping motion, at least until the symptoms improve.
2. Heat
Heat can help to improve the circulation in the local area. And can also help to reduce pain. Patients can soak their hand in warm-hot water for 15 minutes. Make sure to dry off hand completely right afterwards.
3. Avoid Cold, Wind and Damp
‘Cold’, ‘Wind’, and ‘Damp’ are pathogenic factors in Chinese Medicine. They must be prevented to avoid the worsening of trigger fingers, or to prevent turning it into a chronic problem. So use warm water to wash hands only, and dry your hands whenever it is wet. When you are outside, try to avoid the wind.
4. Splint
You may try to wear a splint at night to keep the affected finger in an extended position. This can help to rest the tendon.
5. Self-Massage and Exercises
Massages and exercises such as stretches can greatly improve the condition. In this video I will show 7 great massages and exercises that are highly effective. Click the below video.
6. Diet
For diet, the below food are the be avoided.
- Avoid spicy
- Avoid seafood such as crabs, shrimps or shellfish