{"id":4241,"date":"2019-02-21T06:45:43","date_gmt":"2019-02-21T06:45:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/?p=4241"},"modified":"2021-03-26T18:24:26","modified_gmt":"2021-03-26T18:24:26","slug":"12-signs-of-trigger-finger","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/12-signs-of-trigger-finger\/","title":{"rendered":"12 Signs of Trigger Finger"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Do you play the drums, ride a motorbike, or work with your hands? People who expose themselves to intense vibrations in any activity run the risk of developing a condition called, \u201ctrigger finger.\u201d Despite what you may have heard, a trigger finger is not a condition caused by shooting a gun. The disorder affects the fibrous tendons in your hands and fingers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

People who are living with trigger finger experience complications with the normal position and movement of their fingers. In most cases, the finger locks in a bent position and then suddenly flicks back to full extension, like pulling and releasing the trigger on a gun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trigger finger is also called, \u201cstenosing tenosynovitis,\u201d in the medical community. In some cases, the condition may be permanent, resulting in the affected individual’s finger remaining locked in a bent position. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trigger finger is an irritating and painful condition that occurs over time. People whose hobbies or work include gripping actions are most affected. Here are eight signs of the trigger finger.
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1. Risk Factors for Trigger Finger<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Trigger finger affects a specific subset of the population that work with their hands. Repeated gripping involved in activities such as weight lifting, riding a motorbike, hand washing, and many other activities place pressure on the tendons in the hands and fingers, exposing them to the risk of developing the condition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

People who are living with other health problems, such as rheumatoid arthritis, are also at high risk of developing trigger finger. Degenerative bone diseases may reduce the body\u2019s production of calcium, a critical mineral for tendon and bone health, leading to the onset of the disorder in the hands and fingers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trigger finger is more common in women than in men, and this risk factor may have something to do with men\u2019s hands being naturally stronger than a woman\u2019s. People who undergo surgery to treat carpal tunnel<\/a> syndrome may also experience trigger finger as a complication from the procedure.
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2. Chronic Tendon Inflammation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The tendons in our hands give us the ability to open and close our fingers. These ligaments are the fibrous cords attaching muscles <\/a>to bones throughout the body. A protective sheath surrounds every tendon, and when irritation or inflammation of the tendons occurs, the affected individual is at risk of developing a trigger finger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Inflamed tendons create additional tension in the fingers, affecting the movement of the tendon through the sheath. As a result, affected individuals may find that the affected finger, or fingers, begin to curl inward as if they are pulling the trigger of a gun, hence the nickname for the disorder. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If left untreated, this tension and inflammation may reach a chronic state. Severe tendonitis in the sheath and tendons may result in permanent scarring which thickens the sheath and affects the normal movement of the finger. Affected individuals may also notice the formation of \u201cnodules,\u201d bumps in the tendons that further degrade the movement of the affected finger.
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3. Morning Stiffness in the Fingers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

People who are living with trigger finger notice a slow onset of symptoms affecting the flexion of their finger. At first, the condition presents signs of mild pain and discomfort or irritation. However, if left unnoticed and untreated, the disorder progresses as the tendons begin to tighten and thicken due to excessive inflammation<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a result of the inflammation, one of the first signs of trigger finger is stiffness in the fingers upon waking. Overnight, your hands have time to rest. Unfortunately, people with trigger fingers don\u2019t recover from inflamed tendons overnight. The rest reduces the mobility of the ligament through its sheath, leading to feelings of mild pain when you open and close your hands in the morning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the disorder progresses, the morning stiffness will last longer, with some affected individuals noticing that it takes longer to get the tendons in their hands warm and mobile. If left untreated, symptoms of stiffness will steadily increase.
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4. Popping During Movement<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As the chronic inflammation of the affected tendons spreads throughout the affected finger, the person may begin to lose mobility of the digit. As a result, they may try to flex their finger to exercise and stretch the ligaments<\/a>. During this movement, it\u2019s common for people who are suffering from trigger finger to notice a popping feeling during the opening and closing their affected digit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some cases, this popping sensation may even be somewhat audible. This effect occurs as the sheath or tendon moves through an inflamed area, causing tension that creates a popping feeling when the tendon runs through the swollen region, or vice versa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Affected individuals may notice that their finger slowly closes as they draw it toward the palm. This dysfunction occurs as the tension builds, and then they feel a sudden release as the tendon or sheath clears the inflamed area. Mild sensations of pain may also accompany the popping.
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5. Tenderness or Bumps in the Palm<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Symptoms of trigger finger will progress if left untreated. After noticing the morning stiffness in the affected digit, and the popping sensation form inflamed tendons<\/a>, the next phase begins to unfold. Affected individuals start to see a bump form in the palm below the base of the affected finger. Also known as a \u201cnodule,\u201d this bump is a sign that inflammation is reaching the chronic stage of the disorder. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Swollen ligaments at the base of the finger occur due to the swelling moving through the tendon and its sheath to affect all of the joints in the finger. Think of your finger tendons and tubes, when they become inflamed, they expand and form a bump due to thickening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bump continues to become more pronounced as the condition advances, and affected individuals may notice pain or discomfort if they apply pressure to the swollen area. At this stage, it’s vital that patients seek medical treatment.
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6. Finger Lock<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Affected individuals suffering from the effects of trigger fingers need physiotherapy. Therapists treat the inflammation in the tendons with massage therapy <\/a>and exercises. However, if left untreated, the patient may need a surgical procedure to relieve the swelling and return the finger to normal function. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, individuals that choose to forgo treatment will eventually reach the final stage of the disorder \u2013 finger lock. This condition occurs when the affected digit suddenly catches or locks up in the bent position. The patient loses control of the finger at this stage and will have a tough time trying to regain the function of the digit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The finger may remain in the bent position permanently or suddenly pop into the straight position by itself. This phase of the disorder is physically disabling, with many affected individuals being unable to grip or continue to carry out their daily tasks and activities. Patients at this stage need to seek medical treatment immediately.
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7. Pain During Movement<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

People who are living with a trigger finger, experience pain symptoms due to the inflammation of the tendons in the fingers and hands. Affected individuals may notice no pain symptoms in the initial stages of the condition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, as the disorder progresses, pain symptoms begin to appear. At first, the initial signs of swelling may only cause mild discomfort. Therefore, many people write off the symptoms due to a stiff joint or the onset of arthritis<\/a>. As a result, many people do not seek out the treatment they need to recover the mobility of the finger, thinking that the condition will clear up on its own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If left untreated, trigger finger symptoms begin to intensify over the coming weeks and months. It may take months or years for the disorder to manifest its effects on the affected finger fully. During this progression, pain symptoms steadily increase from irritating to severe, every time the patient opens and closes the affected digit.
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8. Affects Any Finger<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Trigger finger is a disabling condition that causes the patient to lose mobility and control over the affected digit. However, in some cases, the disorder may affect more than one finger on the same hand, or fingers on both sides. The index and pinky fingers seem to be most commonly affected by this condition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ll probably notice the first signs of trigger finger when you go to pick something up in the morning. Your finger may be tight and refuse to open. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

People who are suffering from trigger finger need to seek medical attention as soon as the first signs of the disorder appear. Leaving it to heal by itself will advance the condition, making future treatment of the disorder difficult.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you notice any of these eight signs of trigger finger, speak to your doctor immediately. They will prescribe you anti-inflammatories<\/a> to reduce the swelling and recommend a physiotherapist for rehabilitation of your affected finger or fingers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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9. Dupuytren’s Contracture<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Patients with Dupuytren’s contracture experience the growth of a small, pin-head sized dent in the palm of their hand. In most cases, the contracture appears on the right palm, about an inch and a half below the pinkie or ring finger. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This dent occurs due to a thickening of the tissues in your hand, due to injury or tendonitis<\/a>. When the tissues in the palm thicken, they form cords that run from the palm to the base of the finger. As the condition progresses, the fibrous cords continue to contract, resulting in the patient experiencing their hand or fingers becoming stuck in a bent position.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

People with Dupuytren’s contracture require physiotherapy to break up the fibrous tissue in the palm and return mobility to the fingers and palm. In severe cases, the patient may require surgery to remove the stiff fibers causing the condition. People over the age of 40-years old are at the highest risk of developing the disorder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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10.    Nodules in the Finger<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Patients who are dealing with trigger fingers may also find that they develop nodules <\/a>on the joints of the affected finger. Nodules are firm bumps that have slight discoloration to them, appearing red around the edges and translucent in the center. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These nodules occur due to damaged tendons in the finger. The patient may have broken the bones in the palm that controls the pinkie finger. Should the patient not receive the correct treatment and recovery, the bones may heal in the wring position. As a result of the inefficient healing, the tendons may start to thicken, resulting in the development of nodules in the lower joints of the pinkie or ring finger. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These nodules are not painful, and it may take years for them to grow to a size where they start to affect the range-of-motion in the finger. Physiotherapy may help to reduce the size of the nodule in the early stages. If the nodule begins to cause pain or limit movement, surgeons may operate on the affected finger using the TENEX method.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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11.    Numbness in the Outside of the Palm<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Patients who are dealing with trigger fingers may also experience the onset of carpal tunnel syndrome. Many patients find that they develop these two conditions at the same time, leading medical professionals to believe that the two disorders may work “hand-in-hand,” at reducing the mobility of your fingers and palm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Patients that develop carpal tunnel and trigger finger consecutively may find that they start to experience sensations of numbness on the outside of the palm. The feeling of numbness <\/a>may not allow you to feel any sensations of touch in this area, and some patients may also experience tingling on the underside of the palm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When the carpal tunnel traps the nerves leading to the pinkie, ring, and middle finger, it may also cause the onset of trigger finger in one or all of the digits mentioned. Patients require treatment with TENEX surgery methods to release the pressure on the carpal tunnel and prevent the condition from progressing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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12.    Contributing Factors<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It’s rare for trigger finger to occur without any contributing factors that cause the onset of the condition in affected individuals. Many patients with trigger finger have some other form of trauma in their hands, whether it be past or present. Breaking the bones in your hand and failing to have them set by a doctor, can result in damage to the tendons that control the fingers, resulting in the development of a trigger finger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other contributing conditions that may lead to the onset of trigger finger include arthritis and degenerative bone diseases like osteoarthritis <\/a>and rheumatoid arthritis. All of these conditions place stress on the skeletal system and ligaments in the affected areas. If left unmanaged and untreated, degenerative bone disease can cause tendonitis or inflammation in the fingers that lead to the development of a trigger finger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are dealing with any of these bone diseases, speak to a physiotherapist, and arrange a treatment program to help slow the spread of the condition in your finger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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13. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The carpal tunnel is a narrow tendon crossing over the wrist. Small wrist bones, known as carpal bones, line the sides and floor of the carpal tunnel. When patients develop carpal tunnel syndrome, it causes sensations of pain, numbness, and tingling in the wrist when resting or when grasping objects. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This pain and discomfort occur due to the median nerve becoming trapped in the carpal tunnel, as it travels through the wrist. It’s critical for patients to receive an early diagnosis <\/a>of carpal tunnel. Those patients that do receive early diagnosis have a chance of making a full recovery from the disorder, with no lasting damage to the hand or the wrist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, those patients that do not seek treatment in time may find that they need extensive physiotherapy sessions to recover mobility in the hand and wrist. In some cases, the patient may require surgery to relieve the tension in the carpal tunnel and free the trapped median nerve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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14. Diagnosis<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Patients who have problems with their hand or wrist, eventually end up in their doctor’s office. If your doctor suspects you have trigger finger or carpal tunnel syndrome, they may run a series of physical tests on your hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your doctor will tap the wrist to check for a response from the median nerve. If they do not get the reaction they are looking for, and you start to complain about numbness or tingling in your palm and fingers, the doctor may diagnose you with carpal tunnel syndrome. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The doctor may also ask you to close your eyes while they test for feeling in the tips of your fingers using a blunt instrument. If you can’t fell the touch of the device, then this may be a cause for concern. The doctor will also check for signs of weakness in the thumb by looking for any signs of muscular atrophy <\/a>commonly associated with the trigger finger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\r\n

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