Trigger thumb: What helps?

Trigger thumb needs surgery usually. I’ve had trigger fingers and it’s not fun I understand that. The tendons and ligaments get caught and it will not resolve itself as far as I know. The surgery is not a big deal. I had two trigger fingers on my left hand it was the ring finger in the middle finger. They would get caught and I have to literally pull them up. My son was born with a trigger thumb and when he was 18 months old he had to have the surgery. Again, it’s not a big deal it be better for you to have the surgery and to put up with that. Best of luck with that. My hand is so much better now.

I’ve had two steroid shots, a few months apart, for a trigger finger (“tall man” on left hand”). They help for about six weeks, then the trigger returns. It takes me two months to get another appointment with the orthopedic specialist I am seeing. When he gave me the second shot he mentioned surgery if it returns, and it is now returning. What is the downside to multiple steroid shots? And what is the recovery time after the surgery, and what limitations may I face while recuperating? I live alone and may need to plan ahead. Is one trigger finger often followed by another? I’m afraid that my left-hand ring finger may be developing the same problem. “When troubles come, they come not in pairs but in legions.”

@ellerbracke

Have you had an x-ray to make sure you do not have bone on bone arthritis too? I had combo of them. Mine got overworked taking care of my mom. I slowed a few of her falls and a couple of times she caught my thumb. The pain was horrible. Trigger thumb might calm with an injection. I have two trigger fingers on my left hand. I don't cook much anymore and they only bother me if I do repetitive stuff or grasp onto something too tightly… stair railing, steering wheel.. I try to not grasp the steering wheel. Years ago my right ring finger would catch and I had it fixed. The right thumb was in 2020. Before having the right ring finger fixed I grabbed hold of a cast iron frying pan with a potholder, thankfully, with both hands and my trigger fingers would not open. I managed to slide the frying pan off because of the pot holder and used the edge of the counter to unclamp my fingers. I was by myself .. I can get myself in some predicaments.

If you haven't had an x-ray get one. Ice or heat can help with pain. A soak in epsom salts might help too. Cream or injection.. as the other suggestions might help. The surgery is not much .. does not take long. I needed no pain meds after the trigger finger surgery. The trigger finger surgery fingers were working fine afterward. Had to keep incision dry … recovery is short. I had a tightrope procedure for my bone on bone arthritis and that takes a long time to heal.

Please know that the trigger finger is a result of the tendon and ligament getting caught with each other. I don’t know how anything other than surgery can fix it. It’s like tangled rubber bands.

The surgery is easy peasy. Recovery is minimal. I’ve had it done. You will feel so much better afterwards I promise.

Well - I do generally hate self diagnoses, but after really pampering my thumb for a week, and doing all those cute (ball squeeze etc., rubber band expansion) exercises for a week, I needed to really do some stuff in the garden. Lo and behold, it did not make things worse. Actually, using my “clicking’ thumb got gradually better when I forgot about the clicking and pain, and just used it. So - home made assessment: garden variety arthritis. By bed time thumb is nimble, pain-free, and no swelling at all. Of course, there’s tomorrow………… So now I’m open for recommendations for good topical treatments for arthritis of the thumb (as in - quickly absorbing, bc thumb is near food prep, e.g..), and also maybe some experiences with CBD stuff? Voltaren, I’ve got. Also, assorted icy-hot type ointments. Not using so far, because I have no pain at rest.

Labor Day weekend of this year I developed a trigger thumb on my right hand. I tried to ease or reverse it with - in order - rest, ice, Aleve, Voltaren gel, assorted specific exercises, laying off Letrozole for a few weeks (oncologist’s suggestion), ingnoring it, and overworking it again. Pain level varied, from moderate to severe, sometimes going all the way to the lowest thumb joint. I finally got a cortisone injection in base of thumb 2 weeks ago, and it has helped a little, so far. I was told to see how it feels after 4 weeks, then discuss potential surgery.
I know many people have done this relatively minor surgery, and I’m quite ready to do this, IF: this is a one-time thing, and if the root cause of the trigger thumb makes no difference in the outcome.
I had absolutely overworked my thumb with hours of intense yard work (weed pulling) 2 consecutive days prior to start of symptoms, and on the other hand had been on Letrozole for 18 months but without any side effects, so it’s a toss-up which is the cause.
Any thoughts on this?

Hi @ellerbracke, I moved your newest message to the original discussion you started about trigger thumb where you got several helpful message from members here:
- Trigger thumb: What helps? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/trigger-thumb/

Because this is a topic fairly common among women in treatment for breast cancer, I also added the discussion to the Breast Cancer group. Fellow members @elizm @sequoia @bluebird70 @sparklegram @mari @paddyo have also talked about trigger finger in relation to taking an aromatase inhibitor like anastrozole or letrozole.

You may also be interested in this related discussion about thumb surgery:
- Thumb surgery: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/thumb-surgery/

@ellerbracke I was on Anastrozole for clues to 3 yrs and I developed a trigger thumb. Mentioned to my oncologist regarding as a side effect. He said No, it wasn’t not from med. I researched and found a small plastic device called ‘Oval 8’. It worked for me. Probably in a week +:- a few days ( I can’t remember exactly) my thumb was back to normal. You can buy on Amazon. Here is Oval 8 website. https://www.3pointproducts.com/oval-8-finger-splint-copy-1 Very inexpensive. Good luck. Worth a try before doing surgery. Blessings

@sequoia: I read about the oval 8 rigid plastic brace/device, and actually ordered one from amazon ($ 26.00), but unfortunately the size was way too small. I wish a local pharmacy/drugstore would carry this, so I could try on for size. I may give it another shot, if the actual recent shot does not help. Thanks!

@ellerbracke $26 for one? I bought the pkg of 3 different sizes as I measured my thumb but wanted to make sure I’d fit due to swelling. You can return to Amazon. Pray the recent shot helps.
Edit: I just looked on Amazon. $26 you should have received 3 different sizes. Sm med & lg