What Is Trigger Finger?
Trigger finger is one of the most common hand conditions. Trigger finger occurs when your tendons become inflamed and swollen. This can lead to your tendons getting caught in your tendon sheath, resulting in a finger that locks in a closed position.
Our fingers flex or bend because the muscles in our forearm contract. Your muscles are attached to tendons that run from your forearm to your fingers. A system of pulleys inside your hand and finger holds your tendons against your bones. These same pulleys also prevent tendons from bowstringing—or separating away—from our bones when we flex our fingers.
Sometimes, tendons will swell inside one of these pulleys and the tendon will have difficulty moving through the pulley. A nodule may even form on the tendon related to this swelling or tendinitis. As the tendon swells, it becomes more and more trapped in the pulley, worsening the inflammation.
What Are the Symptoms of Trigger Finger?
The first symptom of trigger finger is often pain at the base of the finger in the palm. The next symptoms is often popping or locking. This can be worse in the morning. You may feel a nodule in the palm moving with the tendon. Sometimes you can pull the finger straight using your other muscles, but it is often painful.
In severe cases, your finger can be stuck bent and you need to use your other finger to straighten it. In worst cases, your finger is trapped in a bent position and can’t be pulled free. If your finger is stuck in a bent position, schedule an appointment with one of our hand specialists.
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What Causes Trigger Finger?
As your tendon squeezes through the pulley and then squeezes back, it can harm your finger’s motion, causing your finger to click or snap at the PIP joint. The PIP joint is the closer of the two joints inside your finger.
The pulley that causes trigger finger is located in the outer part of your palm. Triggering directly affects your tendon that controls the PIP joint. Although doctors can see triggering happen at the PIP joint, the root cause of trigger finger is in the distal (outer) portion of your palm.
Trigger finger can affect anyone, but people who repeatedly make gripping motions with their fingers have a higher chance of developing the condition.
How Do You Treat Trigger Finger?
The first line treatment is a corticosteroid injection. Your provider injects the corticosteroid into your tendon sheath to reduce inflammation and swelling.
If your trigger finger fails to improve after a steroid injection, or if you have multiple trigger fingers that keep coming back, you may need surgery. Surgery consists of releasing the pulley in the palm, allowing the swollen tendon more space to glide. Surgery for trigger finger is one of the most common hand surgery procedures.
