Trigger Finger - Anyone been treated for it?

[NancyJohnson]

Me and Brains have spoken. I'll keep an eye on the thread but I've nothing more to contribute.

[ivansc]

Yup - think you covered it all.
Just noticed you are from Crowthorne - my folks lived there for some years & I suppose inevitably you MUST have come across Simon, otherwise known as Wonky Wabbit?

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

Confirmed by GP as an advanced stage of Trigger Finger and I have been referred. More phone calls today.

[stevie]

I had this with my thumb about five years ago. It was painful but not in an advanced stage. My GP gave me a cortisone injection and it cleared up after a few weeks and has stayed away. I'm sure that surgery is often the answer, but (with the usual provisos), if your GP suggests trying an injection, I would take it.

Edited April 27, 2016 by stevie

[Paul S]

Saddened to hear this, Warren, although I can't offer anything but sympathy I'm afraid.

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

[quote name='stevie' timestamp='1461770865' post='3037500']
I had this with my thumb about five years ago. It was painful but not in an advanced stage. My GP gave me a cortisone injection and it cleared up after a few weeks and has stayed away. I'm sure that surgery is often the answer, but (with the usual provisos), if your GP suggests trying an injection, I would take it.
[/quote]
The GP didn't seem interested in doing anything and referred me straight away. The earliest NHS appointment I could get is just over a month away, which I have booked, but I've also booked a consultation on Tuesday privately. Potentially, I could be under the knife in 3 weeks rather than four months if Tuesday confirms the diagnosis and he is happy to proceed. Just want if fixed now. I don't do incapacitated very well.

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

[quote name='Paul S' timestamp='1461825656' post='3037859']
Saddened to hear this, Warren, although I can't offer anything but sympathy I'm afraid.
[/quote]
Thanks Paul. The best I can do is pick up a bass. My locked finger mutes the strings nicely, but that's about it!

[Rich]

Trigger finger, stenosing tenosynovitis, or "stop clicking, you stupid bastard". I've developed this rather alarming condition in both index fingers. At the moment, it is at its worst first thing in the morning; at one time it would ease off during the day to the extent that it was barely there by mid afternoon, but now it appears to be gradually worsening. Here we are at 3.30pm and they're still noticeably clicky, the right more so than the left. The right does not currently affect my playing, as I don't tend to bend my finger much whilst playing fingerstyle, and I keep it bent when holding a pick, so there's no flexing to speak of. The left is a different matter... if it really worsens, it's going to bugger my fretting right up. I feel like my playing career might be staring down the barrel of a gun. 

 Any other sufferers here? There are quite a few online resources that I can look at, but does anyone have first hand experience and advice that they can share?

Edited August 22, 2023 by Rich

[Daz39]

Oh - I did not know it was a proper thing. I have a clicky left thumb, which I feel the need to click to correct every now and then. I do have stiff fingers in a few fingers some mornings when I wake, which is also weird.

[Jackroadkill]

I had tenosynovitis in both wrists (stop laughing at the back...) years ago and it hurt like hell.  I went to the doctors and was diagnosed.  I had to have both strapped up and I took ibuprofen; I also stopped putting any strain on hands, wrists and forearms at all.  It took a while for things to return to normal (as in a couple of months) but it did happen.  I hope yours clears up quickly.

[Waddo Soqable]

Have had an annoying clicking thumb joint for a month or two, noticed especially when gripping a pick (plectrum not pickaxe)  it seemed aggravated by the thumb being bent back rather when gripping said pick. I improvised an experimental splint with a bit of wood and electrical tape, which'll make you laugh no doubt! 

It did in fact help and I continued to play with the immobilised thumb, believe it or not.

I subsequently tried some little elasticated tube things which are quite good at preventing you bending the thumb at the joint (A2 pulley aparrently) these can be stiffened further with a piece of plastic or card if req. I enclose pics for your entertainment 😁

ps, the tube thing is very grubby as I've just got back from "toiling in the fields" type stuff... I've got some clean ones, honest.. 

 

[PaulThePlug]

Any other sizes?..

Like if ya bent ya big toe back... but bigger 😉 no what i mean...

[Waddo Soqable]

Just now, PaulThePlug said:

Any other sizes?..

Like if ya bent ya big toe back... but bigger 😉 no what i mean...

Oh I'm sure I could find a suitable stick for that.. 😁

[Waddo Soqable]

The sleeve things are quaintly called "stretchy finger protectors"  btw.. from ebay (and similar I expect) and you get a few in a pack.

@Rich has finger issues rather than the thumb, but these would in my opinion work just as well to discourage the finger from bending at the joints, (unless you've got really tiny skinny fingers) and as I found, can be made more solid and splint like by slipping a strip of something down the tube.

There's also plastic "oval" or "oval 8" type splints which are smaller and unobtrusive, but need to be exactly the correct size for the digit involved. There's one uk ebay seller that does these when I looked. 

[Rich]

UPDATE: Saw my GP yesterday. It is definitely trigger finger. The fact that it has happened simultaneously in both hands make me quite the rarity, apparently, especially as it's my index fingers. I've had a steroid injection in the base of the left index as it's the worst of the two, if it's going to work it will take effect within a couple of weeks. Right at the moment, it's as sore as f***. This is annoying as I've got a rehearsal tomorrow night and a gig on Friday.

On 16/08/2023 at 21:16, Waddo Soqable said:

The sleeve things are quaintly called "stretchy finger protectors"  btw.. from ebay (and similar I expect) and you get a few in a pack.

I've bought a couple of said stretchy finger protectors, wearing one at the moment on my poor aching left. Typing is, errm, interesting with it on  

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

5 minutes ago, Rich said:

UPDATE: Saw my GP yesterday. It is definitely trigger finger. The fact that it has happened simultaneously in both hands make me quite the rarity, apparently, especially as it's my index fingers. I've had a steroid injection in the base of the left index as it's the worst of the two, if it's going to work it will take effect within a couple of weeks. Right at the moment, it's as sore as f***. This is annoying as I've got a rehearsal tomorrow night and a gig on Friday.

I've bought a couple of said stretchy finger protectors, wearing one at the moment on my poor aching left. Typing is, errm, interesting with it on  

Hi @Rich. Yes I've suffered with this for years as has @NancyJohnson. I think there is a thread regarding his exploits somewhere. 

My right ring finger locked folded some time ago and I ended up having steroid injections. The jabs relieved it almost over night, but you can't keep having them.

I then went on to some fairly intense physio which has kind of held it at bay. I still wake up feeling like i've boxed ten rounds during the night and both ring fingers are stiff as hell, but they ease off during the day.

By evening (gig times) they're workable, but I sure know about it the day after.

The ultimate solution it have the pulleys cut, which I think is what @NancyJohnson had done. I'm on the verge of needing it, but am getting by without taking that step - for now.

Hope the injections work for you. They definitely helped for me, but it's not a permanent solution for everyone.

[Staggering on]

I play DB and about 18 months ago I developed the same thing in my left thumb and a finger on my right hand. I mentioned it to a guitar playing neighbour and she told me that when she had the problem her doctor suggested 250 mg of Vitamin B6 per day. I was a bit skeptical but decided to give it a try and after a few months, 4 or 5 I think, the problem was gone and apparently it worked for my neighbour also. I no longer take it but will try it again if the problem reappears. 

I don't know if the B6 was the cure or not but at least the problem is gone. I did not stop playing when it was sore so that wasn't the reason it got better, so it may have been the B6, it might be worth a try. I couldn't find any solid research about this.

[Rich]

12 minutes ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said:

Hi @Rich. Yes I've suffered with this for years as has @NancyJohnson. I think there is a thread regarding his exploits somewhere. 

 

Found it -- I've merged the two threads.

[ossyrocks]

I have also developed this over the last couple of months. It's the knuckle joint of my left hand little finger, where the finger meets my hand. It can be fairly stuck in the mornings and there's a prominent clicky movement to it to open and close my fingers. It tends to wear off through the day until sometimes it's almost gone by evening. It does ache at times though. 

 

I have been playing bass for almost two years, having never touched it before. But I do play for about 2 hours a day, and I suspect the bass playing is partially to blame, alongside being 58 now, and having painful joints almost everywhere else! I've been complaining of painful joints ever since my first  bout of Covid, and I'm sure that's "done something". I've had all the tests my GP is willing to do regarding arthritis, and nothing is coming up.

 

Anyway, I booked an appointment with the GP last week for this, I'm going in on Wednesday 6th September to see what the GP says about it. At the moment, I'm hoping the steroid injection will do the trick. I'll keep you posted.

 

Rob

[NancyJohnson]

Afternoon lads.

 

Thread resurrection, eh.  Despite the age of this thread and the time since my procedures, my hands are issue free and in great shape.  

 

I'll pass on the same advice.  Always decline the steroid shot and opt/push for the operation in all instances. 

[hiram.k.hackenbacker]

56 minutes ago, NancyJohnson said:

Afternoon lads.

 

Thread resurrection, eh.  Despite the age of this thread and the time since my procedures, my hands are issue free and in great shape.  

 

I'll pass on the same advice.  Always decline the steroid shot and opt/push for the operation in all instances. 

I think we’ve disagreed on this before.

For me, a few rounds of steroid injections and some quality physio has steered me from a completely locked finger to a useable hand that aches in the morning after a gig, but hasn’t locked since. I believe the jabs can help some people,  but I do accept it will never be a total fix.

’Always decline’ is a bit OTT IMHO. If it was that ineffective, it would never be offered.

[gjones]

6 months ago I had trigger finger in the morning when I woke up, where my finger would not unroll after going into a fist while I slept. I started to put tape over my finger joint every night before bed and it has worked very well and I haven't had any further major issues with it.

 

Prevention is better than cure.

[Rich]

Agreed, but sadly it's a bit late for prevention.

[ossyrocks]

39 minutes ago, gjones said:

6 months ago I had trigger finger in the morning when I woke up, where my finger would not unroll after going into a fist while I slept. I started to put tape over my finger joint every night before bed and it has worked very well and I haven't had any further major issues with it.

 

Prevention is better than cure.

Do you mean that you put the tape on to keep your finger straight and stop it curling into a fist?

[gjones]

Just now, ossyrocks said:

Do you mean that you put the tape on to keep your finger straight and stop it curling into a fist?

Yes