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Advice | Trigger Finger Symptoms
Male | 58 | good health. I've done the research, but this still baffles me and I don't know if I should continue this regimen or if I'll need a steroid shot or surgery to permanently heal. I have trigger finger symptoms in my pinky finger (catching, stiffness, pain) but ONLY if I don't use it! If it's in a stint, brace, etc, it gets worse quickly. But if I stretch, use it, etc, it feels fine. When stiff there is an obvious swelling lump (of tendons?) at the base of the finger. But again...as soon as I start stretching, exercising the finger, it all goes away and feels 100% fine. I find myself squeezing an exercise ball a lot during the day because it keeps it loose and feels great. Warm water seems to immediately resolve any symptoms as well. I'm very active with my hands, hand squeezers, sports, I'm also a drummer. I'm pretty sure this is an "over use" injury, but everything I read said avoid doing what might have caused it, rest the finger, etc, etc, but all that makes it worse, so I'm confused how I should proceed. This has been going on for a month now and is not going away, it's not getting worse, just not going away. Thanks for any help.
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Hi, @dmunsie I, too, have trigger finger on both hands, both ring fingers. They are not so painful, but when they catch and then release, it surprises me every time. I have read that they are the result of a gene, ZMyND15. (Zink Finger) which I have been told I have. (OMIM#614312) Mine is also getting worse, but the ZMyND15 is listed as part of both FKTN (Fukutin LGMD and GSN (Gelsolin Amyloidosis), so I would expect either or both to get slowly worse. But the best help might be in a DNA search at a place like Nebular or AmbryGen.com.
Hello @dmunsie and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. From what you've shared, you are looking to connect with members who have experience with Trigger Finger. Members such as @oldkarl @hrmills1 have both recently mentioned Trigger Finger in another conversation and my be able to provide some information to you.
In the meantime, I wanted to share this resource.
-Trigger Finger: Symptoms & Causes
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/trigger-finger/symptoms-causes/syc-20365100
I would pay special attention to the bottom of the page where it talks about when to seek immediate medical care:
Seek immediate medical care if your finger joint is hot and inflamed, as these signs may indicate an infection.
If you have any stiffness, catching, numbness or pain in a finger joint, or if you can't straighten or bend a finger, make an appointment with your doctor.
Do any of those apply?
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1 ReactionThank you, but no one else in my family past or present has reported trigger finger symptoms. Interesting about the gene though, thx.
Thank you for the reply, I will more than likely seek out a doctor, but I am trying to self heal at home due to everything I've read said this can be self healed through various techniques. As I said earlier, the puzzling thing is, it goes away with use and flairs up when not doing anything. Which seems to be the opposite of typical trigger finger. I simply don't know if I should continue on this path of just doing exercises, warm water, stretching, ball squeezing, soft tissue massage (for blood flow) etc OR simply put the finger in a splint and 100% stop using it for a while and see what happens. But again...every time I stop using it or splint it for a while, that's when it gets stiff and starts catching. I can use the finger for hours on end with ZERO pain, zero catching, etc, but as soon as I stop using it...stiffness sets in. Absolutely the area is not hot, red, etc. Thanks again for any comments.
Still just wondering if this is the typical cycle of dealing with trigger finger? " But again…every time I stop using it or splint it for a while, that's when it gets stiff and starts catching. I can use the finger for hours on end with ZERO pain, zero catching, etc, but as soon as I stop using it…stiffness sets in."