Elbow pain can be disabling. If you’re having discomfort in your elbow, you may also be experiencing difficulty in everyday movements that require its use — for example, brushing your teeth. You may have tennis elbow.
Trigger finger, which is sometimes called trigger thumb, was first described in medical texts in 1850. Anyone can develop it, but it has historically affected women between ages 50 and 60; however, recent research shows it is increasing in prevalence among teenagers, most likely due to texting.
Stenosing tenosynovitis is the clinical name for trigger finger, and it is an issue that affects the system of tendons and pulleys, or sheaths, that help your fingers move smoothly. The American Society for Surgery of the Hand describes this system as similar to how a line is held onto a fishing rod.
Trigger finger happens when the sheath around the tendon becomes inflamed, making it difficult for the tendon to glide easily through. The condition is called trigger finger because there’s usually a clicking or popping sound when you bend or straighten your finger. It can affect any of the fingers or the thumb.
The first symptom many people notice is that the affected digit hurts. Usually, the pain is at the base of the finger or thumb. It may hurt to touch the area or to press on it.
Often, people with trigger finger have more pain and stiffness in their fingers in the morning or after a prolonged period of rest, and it lessens with movement.
Where your finger or thumb meets your palm, you may have a lump. The lump moves as you bend and straighten your finger.
In more advanced cases of trigger finger, there’s a clicking or popping noise when you move your finger or thumb.
If you bend your finger and it catches or locks there, then suddenly pops straight, you may have trigger finger. The catch happens as the tendon gets caught in the swollen sheath, and then your finger straightens suddenly as the tendon passes through.
In the most advanced stages of trigger finger, the finger gets stuck in a bent or straight position. You may be able to use your other hand to massage and straighten or bend the affected finger, but in some cases, even that is not possible.
Women tend to get trigger finger more often than men, and people between the ages of 40 and 60 are at greater risk than others, although instances of adolescents being affected are on the rise.
Additionally, people with diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis are more likely to develop trigger finger. If you’ve had surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome, you are at a greater risk for developing the condition, particularly in the six months immediately following surgery.
Your job or hobby may also make it more likely that you could get trigger finger. For instance, playing guitar, using pruners or other hand tools, or performing some tasks on an assembly line can cause strain on your hands and raise the probability of developing trigger finger.
The treatment that our doctors at Georgia Hand, Shoulder & Elbow recommend depending on the severity of your symptoms. Common treatments include:
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We hope you will join us at our 2019 Continuing Education Conference at the Georgia Tech Global Learning Center in Atlanta, GA.
On November 9, 2019, Georgia Hand, Shoulder & Elbow will be hosting a day of surgery at Georgia Surgical Center on Peachtree located at 2061 Peachtree Road in Atlanta.