Trigger Finger? - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Tower · 07-09-2003, 01:09 PM

I apologize, this thread will be short because my typing skills have been reduced to 1/2 thanks to 'Trigger Finger'.

I've been diagnosed with Trigger finger in my right middle and ring fingers. Basically, when I flex my fingers to clench my fist, the middle knuckles pop. It is caused by the tendons swelling up too large for the joints, so when they are forced through the joints it causes "popping".

I now wear a double-splint and take Aleve to reduce swelling. Has anyone ever had this or a similar experience?

redravin40 · 07-09-2003, 08:53 PM

I've had two trigger finger releases because the fingers would lock and I would have to physically straighten them.
My fingers are not as strong now but at least they work.
I have potential for trigger finger in the rest of my fingers as well because the tendons are frayed in all of them (20 years as a chef and meatcutter).
They tried doing a hydrocortizone shot first and I tell you pass on that if they offer it.
It hurt more then the fingers did.
But make sure you take care of your hands.
By working even with the trigger finger and carpel tunnel I have damaged mine forever.
I can't do the work I did for so long and for a while I thought I wouldn't even be able to hold a pencil again.

Tower · 07-10-2003, 01:30 PM

Ack...well, screw that, maybe I'll just take the next week off as well until my case has bettered itself. My fingers don't actually lock up at this point, they simply "pop" when I flex them.

Since you've had it, perhaps I can ask you some questions about it. Is it okay to flex my fingers a few times a day to see how they are recovering from being swollen? And how long did it take you to recouperate from your case?

Thanks RedRavin.

gonadman · 07-10-2003, 06:40 PM

If the meds and rest don't help, don't be too quick to dismiss the hydrocortisone shot. It is unconfortable, but it works great for most people. Sounds like redravin40 had a pretty severe case.

redravin40 · 07-10-2003, 08:36 PM

Nothing wrong with flexing.
Ever since the surgery's I spend a lot of time rubbing my hands to keep the swelling down.
And gonadman is right, the hc shots might help you.
They just didn't do jack for me.
It took me months of physical therapy after the surgery's to get close to normal.
It's true my case is pretty severe.
Immobilizing the joints for an extended period and doing some basic physical therapy should help allot.

Hedgehog · 07-16-2003, 06:32 PM

I've had this in both big toes for most of my life. Unless you lock up all the time, it can be lived with.

Winston · 07-19-2003, 10:39 PM

I have trigger finger--ring finger. I have had one shot(more on that below). When I had the first shot, 6 months ago, the finger would still open on it's own, with an additional effort and pain that was moving slowly from annoying to debilitating. The shot alleviated about 90% of the problem in two weeks. I was pain free and had complete mobility for 4 months. then over the last 6 weeks or so, it came back Quickly. With a vengence. The finger will not straighten on its own. It has to be pried open by the other hand, and it hurts like a mother. I'm having the surgery next week.

About the shot. I have had pain. Not a crippling amount, but yeah, I know pain. The first ten to 20 seconds from the time the needle broke the skin was the worst pain I have ever experienced. I was moaning like a cat in heat, and I wanted to rip the doctors face off. Then, in the last 10-fifteen seconds, the endorphins really kicked in, and by the end of the shot I wanted another one. I wouldn't be dumb enough to try to be funny in my first post in a health forum. I'm serious. Just thought you should know in case your into that(I'm not). Otherwise, skip the shot. The 4 months of relief was not worth the 20 seconds of hell.

Tower · 07-19-2003, 11:01 PM

I'm thinking maybe I'll just live with it?

I have the type of personality where when I'm sick or in pain, after a while the disability/hindrance of whatever is not right with me starts pissing me off, and I'll start to operate despite my problem.

For example, with trigger finger, even though it hurts, I'll just get up in the morning, say "Fuck you" to the finger, and start flexing my hand over and over, and then go to work, use it all day, and just keep saying to hell with it.

Lock up? Nah, I just for it open with my own hand (tendon). Probably bad for me, but this seems like a bullshit curve from life. "Trigger finger".. what a joke, eh?

Winston · 07-19-2003, 11:54 PM

For me, it was progressive. I told it to fuck off for a few months the first time, despite having great health insurance. I could open it fine at first, it was just a little "pop". Kind of annoying, not much more. If yours progresses like mine did, it won't feel like a bullshit curve, and it won't be just a pain in the ass. When it gets to the point that when you say "fuck you finger", and start to flex...and end up on your knees on the floor next to your bed, you may want to have it fixed. I sincerely hope yours goes away.

I know nothing of your medical history, so this next bit of information just goes out in general. When I showed my finger to my MD the first time, he said, "Oh wow, you've got a trigger finger, it's fairly common in recovering alcoholics." Shortly after I quit drinking, I was also diagnosed with this Central Pontine Myelinolysis, very basically damage to the sheath's that cover nerve endings in parts of the brain. Alcohol is a solvent. It eats the covers off things. In the human body, it probably eats the covers off tendon sheath's and possibly nerve connection sheath's in the brain. So trigger finger can be a warning sign of much more serious damage. On a happier note, I had another scan on the ol noggin a year later and the condition was not evident. Clean livin does have it's advantages.

Tower · 07-20-2003, 10:19 AM

lol, ouch. I'm glad to hear you're doing better though, Winston.

Winston · 07-21-2003, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Tower
lol, ouch. I'm glad to hear you're doing better though, Winston.

Thanks, Tower. Best of luck with your case. I'm not around here very much, but if you need any more information(or strong opinions) on the whole thing, let me know

07-09-2003, 01:09 PM	#1 (permalink)
Tower Tilted Location: Whitewater, Wisconsin.	Trigger Finger? I apologize, this thread will be short because my typing skills have been reduced to 1/2 thanks to 'Trigger Finger'. I've been diagnosed with Trigger finger in my right middle and ring fingers. Basically, when I flex my fingers to clench my fist, the middle knuckles pop. It is caused by the tendons swelling up too large for the joints, so when they are forced through the joints it causes "popping". I now wear a double-splint and take Aleve to reduce swelling. Has anyone ever had this or a similar experience? __________________ Regulator 2k3. Intergalatic Planetary.

07-10-2003, 01:30 PM	#3 (permalink)
Tower Tilted Location: Whitewater, Wisconsin.	Ack...well, screw that, maybe I'll just take the next week off as well until my case has bettered itself. My fingers don't actually lock up at this point, they simply "pop" when I flex them. Since you've had it, perhaps I can ask you some questions about it. Is it okay to flex my fingers a few times a day to see how they are recovering from being swollen? And how long did it take you to recouperate from your case? Thanks RedRavin. __________________ Regulator 2k3. Intergalatic Planetary.

07-10-2003, 06:40 PM	#4 (permalink)
gonadman Psycho Location: Philly	If the meds and rest don't help, don't be too quick to dismiss the hydrocortisone shot. It is unconfortable, but it works great for most people. Sounds like redravin40 had a pretty severe case. __________________ For me there is only the traveling on paths that have heart, on any path that may have heart. There I travel, and the only worthwhile challenge is to traverse its full length. And there I travel, looking, looking, ...breathlessly. -Carlos Castaneda

07-16-2003, 06:32 PM	#6 (permalink)
Hedgehog Crazy Location: Charlotte, NC	I've had this in both big toes for most of my life. Unless you lock up all the time, it can be lived with. __________________ Wait a minute! Where am I, and why am I in this handbasket?

07-19-2003, 11:01 PM	#8 (permalink)
Tower Tilted Location: Whitewater, Wisconsin.	I'm thinking maybe I'll just live with it? I have the type of personality where when I'm sick or in pain, after a while the disability/hindrance of whatever is not right with me starts pissing me off, and I'll start to operate despite my problem. For example, with trigger finger, even though it hurts, I'll just get up in the morning, say "Fuck you" to the finger, and start flexing my hand over and over, and then go to work, use it all day, and just keep saying to hell with it. Lock up? Nah, I just for it open with my own hand (tendon). Probably bad for me, but this seems like a bullshit curve from life. "Trigger finger".. what a joke, eh? __________________ Regulator 2k3. Intergalatic Planetary.

07-09-2003, 08:53 PM	#2 (permalink)
redravin40 Loser Location: With Jadzia	I've had two trigger finger releases because the fingers would lock and I would have to physically straighten them. My fingers are not as strong now but at least they work. I have potential for trigger finger in the rest of my fingers as well because the tendons are frayed in all of them (20 years as a chef and meatcutter). They tried doing a hydrocortizone shot first and I tell you pass on that if they offer it. It hurt more then the fingers did. But make sure you take care of your hands. By working even with the trigger finger and carpel tunnel I have damaged mine forever. I can't do the work I did for so long and for a while I thought I wouldn't even be able to hold a pencil again.

07-10-2003, 08:36 PM	#5 (permalink)
redravin40 Loser Location: With Jadzia	Nothing wrong with flexing. Ever since the surgery's I spend a lot of time rubbing my hands to keep the swelling down. And gonadman is right, the hc shots might help you. They just didn't do jack for me. It took me months of physical therapy after the surgery's to get close to normal. It's true my case is pretty severe. Immobilizing the joints for an extended period and doing some basic physical therapy should help allot.

07-19-2003, 10:39 PM	#7 (permalink)
Winston Upright Location: The great state of constant change	I have trigger finger--ring finger. I have had one shot(more on that below). When I had the first shot, 6 months ago, the finger would still open on it's own, with an additional effort and pain that was moving slowly from annoying to debilitating. The shot alleviated about 90% of the problem in two weeks. I was pain free and had complete mobility for 4 months. then over the last 6 weeks or so, it came back Quickly. With a vengence. The finger will not straighten on its own. It has to be pried open by the other hand, and it hurts like a mother. I'm having the surgery next week. About the shot. I have had pain. Not a crippling amount, but yeah, I know pain. The first ten to 20 seconds from the time the needle broke the skin was the worst pain I have ever experienced. I was moaning like a cat in heat, and I wanted to rip the doctors face off. Then, in the last 10-fifteen seconds, the endorphins really kicked in, and by the end of the shot I wanted another one. I wouldn't be dumb enough to try to be funny in my first post in a health forum. I'm serious. Just thought you should know in case your into that(I'm not). Otherwise, skip the shot. The 4 months of relief was not worth the 20 seconds of hell.

07-19-2003, 11:54 PM	#9 (permalink)
Winston Upright Location: The great state of constant change	For me, it was progressive. I told it to fuck off for a few months the first time, despite having great health insurance. I could open it fine at first, it was just a little "pop". Kind of annoying, not much more. If yours progresses like mine did, it won't feel like a bullshit curve, and it won't be just a pain in the ass. When it gets to the point that when you say "fuck you finger", and start to flex...and end up on your knees on the floor next to your bed, you may want to have it fixed. I sincerely hope yours goes away. I know nothing of your medical history, so this next bit of information just goes out in general. When I showed my finger to my MD the first time, he said, "Oh wow, you've got a trigger finger, it's fairly common in recovering alcoholics." Shortly after I quit drinking, I was also diagnosed with this Central Pontine Myelinolysis, very basically damage to the sheath's that cover nerve endings in parts of the brain. Alcohol is a solvent. It eats the covers off things. In the human body, it probably eats the covers off tendon sheath's and possibly nerve connection sheath's in the brain. So trigger finger can be a warning sign of much more serious damage. On a happier note, I had another scan on the ol noggin a year later and the condition was not evident. Clean livin does have it's advantages.

07-20-2003, 10:19 AM	#10 (permalink)
Tower Tilted Location: Whitewater, Wisconsin.	lol, ouch. I'm glad to hear you're doing better though, Winston. __________________ Regulator 2k3. Intergalatic Planetary.