Trigger finger—an abnormal condition in which inflammation and thickening of the tendons of the finger make it difficult to straighten or bend the finger.

What Is Trigger Finger?

Trigger finger is a painful condition that makes your fingers or thumb catch or lock when you bend them. It can affect any finger or more than one finger at a time. You can also have it in both hands. You might hear it called stenosing tenosynovitis. When it affects your thumb, it’s called trigger thumb.

Trigger Finger Symptoms

         * A painful clicking or snapping when you bend or straighten your finger. It’s worse when your finger’s been still, and it gets better as you move it.
        * Stiffness in your finger, especially in the morning
        * Soreness or a bump at the base of the finger or thumb. Your doctor will call this a nodule.
       * A popping or clicking as you move your finger
       * A locked finger that you can’t straighten

Symptoms often start mild and get worse over time. It’s more likely to happen after a period of heavy hand use than after an injury.

        *  In the morning

        * When you grasp something firmly
        * When you try to straighten your finger

Causes of Trigger Finger

Repeated movement or forceful use of your finger or thumb can lead to inflammation of a tendon, which can cause trigger finger.

Tendons are surrounded by a tissue layer known as the synovial sheath, which allows tendons to slide easily. Sometimes, a tendon or the surrounding synovial sheath gets inflamed and swollen. Long-term irritation of the tendon sheath can lead to scarring and thickening that affect the tendon's motion. When this happens, bending your finger or thumb pulls the inflamed tendon through a narrowed sheath and makes it snap or pop.

Trigger Finger Risk Factors

Things that make you more likely to have trigger finger include.

        * Age. It usually shows up between ages 40 and 60.
        * Sex. It’s more common in women than men.
        * Health conditions.Diabetes, gout, and rheumatoid arthritis can lead to trigger finger.
        * Job. It’s common among farmers, industrial workers, musicians, and anyone else who repeats finger and thumb movements.\

Surgery for carpal tunnel syndrome. It’s most common in the first 6 months after your operation.

Trigger Finger Diagnosis

There are no X-rays or lab tests to diagnose trigger finger. Your doctor will do a physical exam of your hand and fingers, and they’ll ask about your symptoms.

Complications of trigger finger surgery

Any surgical procedure has some risks. Surgery for trigger finger may lead to complications like:

         * Infection

         * Finger stiffness or pain
         * Scarring and tenderness
         * Nerve damage
         * Tendon in the wrong position (bowstringing)
         * Pain and swelling in your hand (complex regional pain syndrome or CRPS). This usually goes away over a few months.

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