Get Your Trigger Finger Straightened Out

As the leading hand surgery center in the Greater Philadelphia area, Philadelphia Hand to Shoulder Center treats every hand, wrist, arm, elbow, and shoulder injury and condition including fractures and sprains and chronic conditions like arthritis, tendonitis, and more.

But today’s topic is Trigger Finger.

What is trigger finger?

The scientific name is Stenosing Tenosynovitis, but all you need to know is that it all comes down to the tendons and “pulleys” in your fingers. If a “pulley” thickens too much, it makes it difficult for the tendon to glide across it. This prevents the finger from bending all the way and causes it to get stuck at an angle similar to the angle a finger is at when it pulls a trigger to fire a gun. Despite this, trigger finger is not limited to the index finger; it can occur in any finger, including the thumb.  

What causes trigger finger?

Most of the time, the exact cause is not known. What is known is that trigger finger is more common in people with pre-existing hand conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, gout, and diabetes. It can also result from gripping firmly and repeatedly.

What are the signs and symptoms?

Before you notice the immobility in your fingers, cases often start with discomfort, sensitivity, and sometimes a lump at the base of the finger, where it joins the palm. You may also notice popping and what many patients describe as a “catching feeling.”

What We Can Do to Help

Philadelphia Hand to Shoulder Center has treated thousands of cases of Trigger Finger, and we can help yours, too. Let the experienced and compassionate specialists at the leading trigger finger treatment center in the Greater Philadelphia area help you with personalized care.

Surgery is not always necessary in Trigger Finger cases. Often, less drastic measures like night splints, anti-inflammatory medication, or steroid injection, combined with a change in your activity, can provide the necessary treatment and restore full mobility.

If your case does require surgery, look no further than Philadelphia Hand to Shoulder Center. Surgery can allow the tendon to once again glide easily. Hand therapy may be needed after surgery to restore full mobility.

To schedule an appointment, call 1-800-385-PHSC(7472) or fill out our online form.