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Treatments and drugs
By Mayo Clinic staffTrigger finger treatment varies depending on its severity and duration.
Treatment of mild cases
For mild or infrequent symptoms, these approaches may be effective:
- Rest. You may notice improvement simply by resting the affected hand for four to six weeks. To prevent the overuse of your affected finger, your doctor may also suggest you change or curtail work or personal activities that require repeated gripping actions.
- Splinting. Your doctor may have you wear a splint to keep the affected finger in an extended position for up to six weeks. The splint helps to rest the joint. Splinting also helps prevent you from curling your fingers into a fist while sleeping, which can make it painful to move your fingers in the morning.
- Finger exercises. Your doctor may also suggest that you perform gentle exercises with the affected finger. This can help you to maintain mobility in your finger.
- Avoiding repetitive gripping. For at least three to four weeks, avoid activities that require repetitive gripping, repeated grasping or the prolonged use of vibrating machinery.
- Soaking in warm water. Placing your affected hand in warm water, especially in the morning, may reduce the severity of the catching sensation during the day. If this helps, you can repeat the soaking several times throughout the day.
- Massage. Massaging your affected fingers may feel good and help relieve your pain, but it won't affect the inflammation.
Treatment of serious cases
For more-serious symptoms, your doctor may recommend other approaches, including:
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Medications such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs — ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others), for example — may relieve the inflammation and swelling that led to the constriction of the tendon sheath and trapping of the tendon, and can relieve the pain associated with trigger finger.
- Steroids. An injection of a steroid medication, such as cortisone, near or into the tendon sheath also can be used to reduce inflammation of the sheath. This treatment is most effective if given soon after signs and symptoms begin. Injections can be repeated if necessary, though repeated injections may not be as effective as the initial injection. Steroid injections may not be as effective in people with other medical conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis or diabetes.
- Percutaneous trigger finger release. In this procedure, which is performed under local anesthesia, doctors use a needle to release the locked finger. This procedure is most effective for the index, middle and ring fingers.
- Surgery. Though less common than other treatments, surgical release of the tendon may be necessary for troublesome locking that doesn't respond to other treatments.
References
- Anderson BC. Trigger finger (stenosing flexor tenosynovitis). http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Sept. 10, 2009.
- Trigger finger. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00024&return_link=0. Accessed Sept. 10, 2009.
- Akhtar S, et al. Management and referral for trigger finger/thumb. British Medical Journal. 2005;331:30.
- Wright PE II. Carpal tunnel, ulnar tunnel, and stenosing tenosynovitis. In: Canale ST, et al. Campbell's Operative Orthopaedics. 11th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/159164477-5/0/1584/566.html?tocnode=55690331&fromURL=566.html#4-u1.0-B978-0-323-03329-9..50076-3--cesec16_4012. Accessed Sept. 10, 2009.
- Silver JK. Trigger finger. In: Frontera WR, et al. Essentials of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation: Musculoskeletal Disorders, Pain, and Rehabilitation. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/159164477-5/0/1678/36.html?tocnode=55147984&fromURL=36.html. Accessed Sept. 10, 2009.
- Peters-Veluthamaningal C, et al. Corticosteroid injection for trigger finger in adults. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2009:CD005617.
