What should I avoid doing if I have Trigger Finger?

Avoid aggravating activities such as repetitive gripping or force with the affected finger. Force also includes having to stabilize power tools and appliances. If these activities cannot be avoided, gloves or splints may benefit. 

Do I have to have surgery on my Trigger Finger?

Surgery is only performed in rare cases where more conservative treatment options have failed. A corticosteroid injection is a more invasive technique but less so than surgery. The solid anti-inflammatory steroid is combined with a local anesthetic to make the injection into the tendon sheathless painful. A finger splint may be advised to rest the finger for a few days after the injection. A second injection may be needed if the first does not work.

An operation done under a local anesthetic may be advised if the above does not work. A small cut is usually made at the finger's base, and the tendon sheath is widened. The operation is generally very successful. An alternative process is a percutaneous trigger finger release. A needle is used to release the tight mouth of the tunnel so an open operation is avoided. However, there is a small risk of damaging the tiny finger nerve and causing some numbness to the finger with an operation. Also, as with any operation, there is a risk of wounds becoming infected.

What can I do at home to help with my Trigger Finger?

• Cold/Warm hand baths: Hot or cold therapy may help alleviate some of the symptoms of trigger fingers. The warm water is suggested to increase blood flow, helping resolve the inflammatory process faster, as well as assisting in the relaxation of muscles that have seized in the area. Cold therapy may be helpful when the finger is extremely painful, by numbing the area and also reducing the blood flow and fluid accumulation when the finger is red, hot, or swollen.

• Rest: Some patients will improve without any treatment. Simply resting the hand and allowing any inflammation to settle may resolve the problem without the need for treatment.

• Pain Killers: You may be advised by your treating practitioner to take painkillers (E.g. paracetamol or ibuprofen).

• Splinting: Your symptoms may improve if your finger (or thumb) is strapped to a plastic splint so that it is completely straight. Some people only wear a splint at night.

• Self-massage: Self-massage may provide some relief when the finger is recovering, however, if it is extremely painful, red, hot, or swollen, you may want to wait until the inflammation has subsided.

Can an Osteopath help with Trigger Finger?

Osteopaths can help with Trigger Finger using a range of treatment techniques and lifestyle advice.

• In the initial consultation, your osteopath will assess your hand and may order radiographic imaging to assist with the correct diagnosis, prognosis (tissue healing time), and management plan. 

• Osteopaths can help you identify the possible aggravating and contributing factors to the development of your finger/ thumb. 

• Osteopaths will use a range of individualized soft-tissue, massage, manipulation, stretching, and mobilization techniques during your 45min appointment to improve pain, swelling, and fluid drainage.

• An adjunct treatment known as Shockwave Therapy has been beneficial in some studies, suggesting it assists with decreased pain levels and improves functional capacity, range of motion, grip strength, and pinching strength. (1)(2)

• An individualized rehabilitation program will be implemented to prevent further aggravation of the hand, and exercises/ stretches are regularly used to strengthen the appropriate muscles and improve joint mobility.
  
  References

  1. Dogru, M., Erduran, M., & Narin, S. (2020). The Effect of Radial Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy in the Treatment of Trigger Finger. Cureus, 12(6), e8385. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.8385

  2. Dogru, M., Erduran, M., & Narin, S. (2020). The Effect of Radial Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy in the Treatment of Trigger Finger. Cureus, 12(6), e8385. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.8385

Our team of qualified osteopaths serves the areas of Hawthorn, Kew, Balwyn, Canterbury, Camberwell, Richmond, and Glen Iris. If you’re experiencing trigger finger in your hands, book an appointment with one of the caring osteopaths at Doctors of Osteo for help. Not only do Doctors of Osteo treat trigger finger, but other symptoms such as tennis elbow and frozen shoulder.

Providing healthcare with our osteopaths near me in Hawthorn, Kew, Balwyn Canterbury, Camberwell, Richmond, and Glen Iris.