Experience with repeated Celestone injections for Trigger finger ?

oh. hey. I'm very interested. I was diagnosed with a trigger finger and put in a metal "don't bend it" thing that was so annoying to wear. I now use athletic tape around the finger joint so I can't bend it far enough to lock on me. I've never had this issue before. (I walk with crutches since covid so it makes sense I guess. bah. always something! and this finger stuff hurts. I'm probably not as used to it as other conditions.)

My PT has also notice in the same hand some lumps that could indicate "Dupuytren contracture" tho the symptoms are the exact opposite. One you can't flex (without locking), the other you can't straighten out. One more in ring and little finger, the other in thumb, index and middle. BUT my right hand middle finger and thumb have started locking also. I haven't seen a hand person yet. Need to make an appt and will probably be a few months wait.

I am concerned about the Dupuytren contracture one as I also have CRPS which can apparently lead to that issue. Leave it to me to have both develop at once right? ugh.

I've been told the shots are quite painful. I know my parents had simple surgery to correct their trigger fingers - right in the office. They said it was easy. With CRPS and the possibility of spread with any simple skin puncture, never mind incision, getting a shot feels worrying but the finger itself is so painful. And I type for a living. With CRPS you must always have ketamine with any procedure.

BTW, I have also had bilateral carpal tunnel surgery like 20 years ago. They can commonly go together as well. This locking thing is ouchy! Esp if I wake at 4am with a finger I can't unbend. Dang. Hurts. And that's coming from someone who has lived with constant pain for 45 years! We get used to some kinds of pain - then something new, no matter how little like a finger, can upset the applecart.

Are the injections really painful and how long do they take to start to help. I would not be looking forward to the surgery but for some reason my parents said it was simple and that was several years ago.

thanks. I will wait to see who else reponds but I'd love and and all the info people have time to share on this very new development. Esp since I walk with crutches. I can't have a hand I can't use or I'll be in a wheelchair - which I am already fighting.
thanks. Be.

I have had 3 trigger fingers. I had two surgically released and am going to go for up to 3 injections on this one before I have the surgery. I also have a dupuytren -mine is a bit unusual because the joint that is getting pulled down is where my finger meets the hand - so the finger is getting pulled toward the palm but the finger itself isn’t bent. it doesn’t hurt so I can live with it for now. The injections hurt like hell but just for a minute. You got pain girl that lasts - this is nothing. See the bruise on the shot I got yesterday in the attached pic. It doesn’t hurt now and it helped immediately - I will say tho that this is a repeat injection and the first one took a few days to fully kick in on relief.

I'm curious, is the surgery not easy? My folks were in their 70s and both daid not so bad. But both of you are having painful injections to avoid surgery even tho you've had surgery before. It feels like straight to the quick op? Unless I'm.missing something. Can you use your fingers postop? I just restrung my guitar after not playing it for over a decade. I still run my own graphic design business from home. I just started my 70th year here on earth. I was wanting things to not get even worse so fast. I need to keep playing in photoshop etc as long as I can. Its good for the mind. Also writing a book. I needy fingers.

So what happens to finger that have the tendon cut? I wasn't thinking they might just flop around tho I'm an old nurse. I should know this stuff. I was ortho but they didn't have these little digit surgeries back then. Only huge ones like actually replacing each finger joint for RA. The doc who invented PIP joint replacements was killed by a drunk driver. He was a good guy. Anyway... thanks. I need to hit google.

I’m not avoiding surgery because of pain or post op issues. I am 74. I am avoiding anesthesia for cognitive risk issues - and trigger finger isn’t one of the bigger risks because it is IV light anesthesia but they accumulate. I need cataract surgery - another IV sedation but again, it all accumulates. And I am simply not doing any general surgery that isn’t life or death.

So my priority is cataract surgery and then see how I do. If all is good I will get the trigger finger fixed.

The finger enjoys movement because a tendon that is encapsulated in a sheath has freedom to move. In RA and other conditions, the sheath itself gets thick or stiff and is itself constricting the tendon. So as I understand it, they open the sheath to release the tendons from being constricted.