In this era where people work in front of computer screens and use smartphones for long periods of time with the same posture repeatedly, it causes muscle pain, tendons, and joints in the fingers, leading to the development of “trigger finger”.
What is trigger finger?
Trigger finger is a condition in which the finger locks when bent and cannot be straightened easily. It is caused by inflammation and thickening of the tendon sheath in the finger, causing the tendons and muscles inside to not be able to stretch and contract normally. The finger then locks and cannot be straightened normally. Generally, triger finger often occurs in the thumb, middle finger, or ring finger, or it can occur to several fingers and both fingers at the same time.
What are the symptoms of trigger finger?
- A clicking sensation when bending or extending your fingers
- Stiffness in fingers, which often occurs in the morning
- It feels tight and feels like something is bulging at the base of the triger finger.
- Trigger finger when bent, which occurs immediately when the finger is suddenly extended.
- Trigger finger occurs when the finger is bent and cannot be straightened back.
Causes of “trigger finger”
Caused by continuous use of fingers for long periods of time, such as tensing fingers while working, using smartphones for long periods of time until the tendon sheath becomes inflamed or swollen, causing it to lose flexibility and the fingers cannot stretch or bend normally.
How to treat “trigger finger”?
There are several ways to treat triger finger, depending on the severity of the symptoms, as follows:
- Rest. Rest your hands from activities that require repetitive hand exercise or weight bearing for a long time. Avoid such activities to rest your hands for at least 3-4 weeks.
- Apply hot or cold compresses. Some people with triger finger may find it helpful to apply a cold compress to the palm of their hand, which can help relieve triger finger symptoms. Soaking in warm water can also help relieve symptoms, especially if done in the morning.
- Wearing a splint. Wearing a splint will help straighten the finger, preventing it from bending or stretching too much. It also gives the finger a rest. If trigger finger occurs regularly in the morning, the doctor will have you wear a splint throughout the night. This will help prevent the finger from stiffening or bending inward while you sleep.
- Stretching exercises: Your doctor may recommend gentle exercises to help your fingers move normally.
- Medical treatment: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can relieve pain, but they cannot relieve swelling in the tendon sheath.
- If trigger finger is severe and treatment with medication and physical therapy is ineffective and symptoms do not improve, surgery and other medical procedures may be required, such as steroid injections. Corticosteroid injections are injected, https://ufabet999.app which reduce inflammation and swelling of the tendons and allow the tendons to move normally.
- Surgery: If other treatments have not worked, your doctor may recommend surgery to treat triger finger, which is a minor procedure that usually does not require you to stay overnight in the hospital.