Anyone here ever get Trigger Finger/Thumb?
 

My left thumb has it.

I have an appointment Monday with the surgeon who performed Carpal Tunnel Surgery on the same hand 2 years ago. She's great and did a good job - so I feel good having her involved.

The pain was so bad I got an Rx from my PCP for Meloxicam 15mg, which has helped a lot.

From doing a Google search, surgery to resolve this problem can be done as an out patient and with only a local anesthesia. Guess I will find out on Monday. She will probably want some radiographs first, but hope we can get it done fairly quickly.

Anyone here go through this?

https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases--conditions/trigger-finger/#:~:text=Symptoms%20may%20include:%20*%20A%20tende r%20lump,Pain%20when%20bending%20or%20straightenin g%20the%20digit.

My ortho has a surgical suite n her office. She has done trigger release for the gf and myself. The first time, I had to go to the whole rigmarole of going to the hospital for it. Then they opened a new office and added the suite. It is so easy. Drive in, go to the suite, they give me a shot of the local. I can hear them digging in and cutting but there is no pain. Bandage up and I drive home.

I’ve had it twice. Different finger on different hand. A rigorous regimen of non-steroidal anti inflammatories (aspirin, ibuprofen) and rest with mild stretching throughout the day had no effect so I scheduled appts. with hand doctor. Scheduling the appts. did the trick. Within one day of scheduling the condition went away both times.

For me, I think, minimizing the inflammation and not aggravating the tendons involved took about two months. Now I am careful to avoid repetitive motion such as using a screwdriver and/or a hammer: so far so good.

More than a few people told me it would just get worse with time. Not true in my case-twice.

Years ago I had trigger finger on two of the fingers of my right (shooting trigger puller) two fingers and for some reason I was also getting "claw" symptoms of the right hand thumb. Youg lady did the surgery on my hand and no problems since. Well not true exactly as my left hand is getting the shakes so it becomes too hard to shoot black powder off hand so few if any matches now. I do have several muzzle loaders on Gunbroker.
John Rogers

Maybe get a blister on your
trigger finger
Maybe get a blister on
your thumb!

Thanks for the replies and input, guys.

Will keep you posted.

Can't wait to get this behind me!

You have two choices: steroid injection or surgery.

The injection hurts (briefly), but has a 70% chance of curing it. The surgery is, well a surgery. It's "easier" than the carpal tunnel release you already had. Day surgery, don't have to go to sleep, takes 20-30 minutes. 98-99% chance of success.

Best of luck with the treatment. I have bad arthritis in both of my hands in the CMC joint of the thumb. I just had another round of steroid injections. They hurt like he!!. I'm facing surgery, just need to decide when, and which hand to do first.

I have it on one finger on my right hand. My regular doc has sent a referral to a hand surgeon.

I will ask about the injection as my right hand is my dominate hand, and I know even brushing my teeth would be a challenge with my left hand if my right is in a cast or bandage.

Met with surgeon today and she offered two options, as mentioned above by Noah930 (Post #7) except she wants to use the *Twilight Anesthesia for the surgery....her reasoning being she doesn't want to risk me moving my hand during surgery.

I'm not happy at all about not being able to just do a local so I can drive there and back without needing a ride, which involves extra logistics on MY end. I asked a couple times if we could do that and was told no, so unless I want to go with a different surgeon , this is what I will do.

I feel she is very good so I will just suck it up and get it done.

The earliest she could get me in, unless there's a cancellation, is August 26. So that's what we have scheduled for now.

They took some xRays - I wish I had asked for copies. Will call tomorrow.

Thanks everyone!

* Twilight anesthesia is an anesthetic technique where a mild dose of sedation is applied to induce anxiolysis (anxiety relief), hypnosis, and anterograde amnesia (inability to form new memories). The patient is not unconscious, but sedated. During surgery or other medical procedures, the patient is under what is known as a "twilight state", where the patient is relaxed and "sleepy", able to follow simple directions by the doctor, and is responsive.

I went to the hand specialist today. He gave me a shot of steroid in the palm of my hand close to the base of the finger. That stung a bit. He said to try to avoid using my right hand for anything strenuous. He said it should take about a week for the trigger finger issue to go away.

Of course I "get" to mow and edge the yard this afternoon. And I have to replace the two pressure switches on the master cylinder on my 911. The brake lights are stuck on if the key is on. Getting to the back switch is not fun at all. Gotta get it fixed so I can drive the 911 safely.

I had trigger finger in my right-hand ring finger.
It lasted for quite some time before I went to the doctor and discovered what it was.
He injected steroids and it cleared up in a couple of days.

That was earlier this year.
I would try that first.

Baz, I wish you the best with your upcoming treatment.
I had surgery last November for something similar. My Doc said it will come back eventually. So far so good. I can still straighten it. :)
https://www.google.com/search?q=dupuytren%27s+contracture&oq=Dupu&gs_lcrp =EgZjaHJvbWUqCggBEAAYsQMYgAQyBggAEEUYOTIKCAEQABixA xiABDIPCAIQABgKGLEDGIAEGIoFMgoIAxAAGLEDGIAEMgcIBBA AGIAEMgcIBRAAGIAEMgcIBhAAGIAEMgcIBxAAGIAEMgcICBAAG IAEMgcICRAAGI8C0gEJMTY4MTZqMGo3qAIAsAIA&sourceid=c hrome&ie=UTF-8

Thanks Dan - and back at ya. That sounds awful! :(

And thanks again for all the feedback and input. On the strength of your comments I called today and cancelled the surgery and have an appointment next Wed. for a steroid injection. Will keep you posted on what happens.

Cheers all! ;)

My hand doc acted almost surprised I knew to call my finger a "trigger finger" and he said he almost always does the steroid injection first, before surgery becomes a option.

He asked my pain level on the 1 to 10 scale and I said 0.25 or less. Virtually no pain, but it will never just spontaneously heal. So lets try the easy option first, before it gets painful. I really don't want to put my dominate hand out of commission for weeks.

The shot is uncomfortable, but not near as bad as the dentist shot of Novocaine to the gums.

mine locks up if I do something stupid like yard work.

but usually it happens when I wake up. just a finger or two locked. I run my hand under warm water and massage that tendon and work it all loose. 2 days of annoyance and I am good to go.

is this how it started for you all? a little at a time?

my retired dentist.. (next month :(). causes no pain...he jiggles my cheeks and goes slow..I feel nothing. my childhood dentist was the same..that dude wouldn't even let me see the contraption.

I had a few in between that relished my body getting rigid in pain..but I never saw them more than the first times..."errr..send my dental records to...."

that maneuver doenst need to hurt at all. my oral surgeon and the dude that did my implant were gentle as well...I'm keeping them. and they are a two hour drive away. (Worth it!)

Hmmm, right and left hands had index, middle and ring fingers done. Tried steroids first, but the triggers would always come back. After surgery, it should not come back at all.

My appointment went great this morning. The injection didn't hurt at all. If anything just a brief discomfort, as it would be for anyone having a needle inserted into your thumb!

She said to give it 3 days to do anything noticeable and 3 weeks to know how effective it will be. I could return for a second injection if needed.

So we'll see.....

Give it the full 3 weeks.

Absolutely - thanks! SmileWavy

After one week after the steroid injection, I see and feel no change at all. Hopefully in two more weeks it will be better. I really don't want surgery on my dominate hand.

The use of steroids or any other type of injections generally do not work, maybe very short time but seem to me to be a way for whoever is doing that to get $$$$$. I have talked with about a dozen vets that had hip or knee injuries and all had to get shots, sometimes two or three and they never helped and the end result was surgery, may as bad as a joint replacement! This also happen to my left knee that had been crushed when hit by a drunk driver was back in 1969 and the surgeon at Langly AFB hospital built me good as original knee joint that lasted until 2012 when it started to deteriorate and I had to get a series of three shots of some sort of goop. My left lower leg was finally sticking out at about a 20 degree angle from straight and finally I got a new titanium lower knee part.
While maybe more complicated than a hand, the same idea applies. I was lucky that the surgeon that fixed my trigger finger(s) issue and my weird thumb told me nothing but surgery will fix it! Two days later she was correct and I was able to target shoot once again!
John Rogers

Cortisone injections for trigger finger offer about a 70% cure rate. They pay about $100, often less. If you give a Medicare patient a cortisone injection at a follow-up (not initial) visit, you don't get paid for the visit, only the injection (which pays $60).

I thought I got a steroid shot. Maybe it was cortisone. I meant to ask. I will find out Monday and report back.

Tomorrow will make 3 days. Seems to at least have taken the pain away as I stopped taking my pain meds as of Tuesday.

There's still a click - maybe not as pronounced. I'm trying to ignore the thing for now and just carry on.

I got some sutures out today from some pre-skin cancer stuff, so focus has been more on that. The technician said the surgeon could have used a heavier thread.

I'm only 71 and feel like I'm falling apart!

Steroid = cortisone

Thanks - duh! ;)

KENALOG 10 MG injection is what I got......

Two weeks in and the click is still there but no where near as pronounced as before. Also there's no more pain. I'll continue to ride it out for a few more weeks and see if things improve. For now I welcome the temporary relief.

Hopefully, it improves. If not, I think you have to wait about 6 months for the steroids to wear off.

Kenalog comes in 40 mg/mL and 10 mg/mL varieties. I almost always used the 40 mg dosing, though I worked with a doc who preferred the 10 mg strength (for fewer cutaneous side effects of skin hypopigmentation). But 99.99% of the time, I'd go with the 40 mg.

Usually, I'd wait at least 1 month in between steroid injections to the same spot.

Thanks for the info, Rick.

I'll keep the thread updated as appropriate.

Was at Walmart today and one of the managers had a big bandage wrapped around her left wrist/lower arm. I asked what happened and she said "I did something stupid." I asked if alcohol was involved and she said no. She said she punched a wall at her house during a brief fit of frustration about something (she didn't elaborate and I didn't ask!) and broke a bunch of stuff. Said she'll end up with some screws and a big scar.

But she did compliment her doctor, so that's good.

I had my steroid injection 3 weeks ago. So far very little if any improvement. The good news for me, it has never hurt at all. It is just annoying to have to force my finger to open back up. I will give it a few months, and contact my doctor again.

With zero pain, I am reluctant to have my dominate hand operated on. So many tasks that are are done routinely become a challenge with my left hand. I presume my right hand would have a splint on that finger, and a bandage around my hand I can't get wet. Wiping and washing my hands become a challenge. And to fix an issue with no pain is a difficult choice.

You raise good points, Glen. While an annoyance, it's hard to make an argument for surgery if there's little/no pain.

The surgery and recovery usually aren't too bad. Most people are using their hand fairly normally within 2-4 weeks. Just keep it absolutely dry for 48 hours, and then (even if stitches present) it is OK to wet it with clean running water (wash hands/shower -- but no bathwater) until stitches removed at 10-14 days. Recurrence is rare (< 2%).

When I had mine done, I never had a splint. The incisions are done on your palm and your hand is a little numb for a couple hours. You get most of your mobility back that day, but hand/fingers can be a little tight. I had to change my pool pump motor a day after my surgery on the dominant hand. A little harder to do than usual, but still doable.

I had mine done about 10 years back. The Dr said I could watch if I wanted. He had an assistant helping and they talked football during the whole thing.
An incision in my palm a short cut through the tunnel to let the knot pass through....done.

Stitched and bandaged it up, put it in a sling and I went back to work for the rest of the day. (office job)
I've had dental work that was way worse. The trigger was gone and no problem since.

My incisions are about 1/4" below my finger. They are the vertical scars on my ring and index fingers.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1756079769.jpg

Hey everyone.......quick update.

My trigger thumb still has a very slight 'click', but only noticeable if I'm focusing on it. No pain. BTW, today marks 1 month and 9 days since I got the injection.

Meanwhile the ring finger on my other (right) hand has developed some sticking issues, so I have an appointment on Thursday with my hand doc and am hoping she will give me another injection to help that one.

Will keep you posted.

Got a 2nd KENALOG 10 MG injection for my thumb and one for my left hand ring finger.

Left thumb is crazy numb right now!

This is much easier than surgery! :)