What is a trigger finger?

We must say that this disorder occurs when the finger flexor tendons, which are responsible for bending the finger, become inflamed and thickened and cannot easily pass through their sheath. This causes the finger to be locked or stuck in a bent or straight position. The mechanism of the disease is as follows: - Inflammation or thickening of the tendon - Tendon getting stuck in its sheath (pulley) - Pain and movement restriction This process causes the movement of the finger to be accompanied by resistance or locking. - Feeling long-lasting pain at the end of the thumb or other fingers - A bump or bump around the fingers, near the palm - clicking sound of fingers when opening and closing - Feeling of stiffness in the fingers especially in the morning - Sensitivity around the fingers If timely treatment for this disease is not done, there is a possibility of its progression. What is the cause of trigger finger? The finger has several small bones....Tendons connect these bones to the muscles, each tendon is protected by a sheath....Trigger finger occurs when the tendon sheath is damaged and inflamed....If the tendon sheath is irritated for too long, it causes scarring, thickening, and tendon knots, eventually compromising the movement of the tendon.. According to research, women suffer from such complications more than men.... Other risk factors are as follows: - people between 40 and 60 years old - People with diabetes - Hypothyroidism - rheumatoid arthritis - people with tuberculosis Performing repetitive activities such as playing musical instruments, typing, etc. can tire the hand and put a person more at risk of trigger finger. Trigger finger in children Children, like adults, when they suffer from this condition, when bending and straightening their finger, they notice that their finger is locked and does not move freely.. Trigger finger is usually seen in children over one year old. Trigger finger in pregnancy Conditions such as fluid retention and swelling during pregnancy can increase the likelihood of this complication.... You may feel pain when opening and closing your fingers.... This condition is often worse in the morning. How is trigger finger diagnosed? When you see a pain specialist, the doctor will first ask about your symptoms and then do a physical exam....he will open and close your fingers to check for locking...usually no imaging is needed to diagnose this condition. How to treat trigger finger There are several treatment solutions to solve this problem, we mention them all below: ### Home remedies Treatments considered vary depending on the severity of the disease, so you should consider the type that is right for you... Home remedies include the following: - If you do repetitive activities with your hands, you should rest for 4 to 6 weeks. - Use a brace or splint to limit movement and rest the hand. - Use hot and cold compresses to reduce swelling. - Put your hands in warm water several times a day to relax the tendons and muscles. - Slowly open and close your fingers to increase your range of motion. ### Non-surgical treatments In the early stages of the disease, non-surgical methods can be effective: Rest and reduce repetitive activities Finger exercises and exercises to increase flexibility - Physiotherapy and gentle massage - Using a trigger finger splint to prevent locking - Trigger finger injection or crown injection in the tendon sheath to reduce inflammation ### Trigger finger surgery If in rare cases no improvement is achieved with home and drug treatments, the doctor may suggest surgery to the patients. When the tendon sheath heals, this part relaxes and the fingers move slowly... In surgeries, doctors anesthetists play an effective role. Full recovery after the operation may take from several weeks to six months.... The doctor recommends physical therapy exercises to relieve the stiffness of the fingers after surgery.... Patients usually return to their normal activities within a few days.... The stitches are removed in 7 to 14 days. ### Rehabilitation and aftercare After treatment, it is very important to do physical therapy and finger exercises and use a splint if needed....it is usually possible to return to daily activities within a few weeks.... Cortisone injection for trigger finger corticosteroid injection improves this condition.. but in some cases it recurs after treatment.... if the doctor decides, you can repeat the injection again.... Usually, no complications have been reported from this treatment method. Consequences of not treating trigger finger In most cases, this condition creates an annoying condition... but if left untreated, the affected finger or thumb may remain permanently bent.. Trigger Finger Physiotherapy Physiotherapy treatment helps to reduce swelling, stiffness, pain relief and also better hand function, and finally you can do your daily activities as soon as possible.... Some examples of physiotherapy to solve this problem are as follows: ### Massage Massaging the injured knuckle helps to improve blood flow and straighten the joints, and finally the movement problem is solved. Place your finger in a comfortable position and slowly start massaging the finger in a circular motion.. continue the massage for 2 to 3 minutes. ### cold and heat therapy This treatment method is very effective in reducing pain.... After exercise and after any activity that causes pain, use an ice compress to relieve pain.... To reduce swelling and pain, you can put the affected finger in cold water for 10 minutes. Exercise for trigger finger Strengthening and stretching exercises should be done regularly.... By performing exercises, you can help restore hand strength.... It should also be noted that stretching movements in the fingers, in addition to having a positive effect on the muscles, also affects the tendons and ligaments. To practice, place your hand on a flat surface and slowly spread your fingers apart until you feel a stretch in your fingers...hold this stretch for 20 seconds and repeat the exercise up to 10 times. **The last word** By changing the lifestyle and avoiding some wrong habits, the trigger finger is removed. Coronet injection is very effective for treatment.. but there is a possibility of symptoms returning.... Based on the studies conducted in this field, researchers have found that 12 months after coronet injection, the symptoms of half of the people returned after a few months and they need to be injected again.