Trigger finger

Diagnosis

To diagnose trigger finger, a healthcare professional does a physical exam may ask you to open and close your hand, checking for areas of pain, smoothness of motion and evidence of locking.

Treatment

Trigger finger treatment varies depending on how serious the symptoms are and how long they last.

Medications

Consider taking a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that you can buy without a prescription, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) or naproxen sodium (Aleve). These medicines may help relieve pain and inflammation. Some types of these medicines can be delivered by creams or patches through the skin right where the problem is happening.

Therapy

Conservative treatments may include:

• Rest. Avoid activities that require repetitive gripping, repeated grasping or the prolonged use of vibrating hand-held machinery until your symptoms improve. If you can't avoid these activities altogether, padded gloves may offer some protection.
• A splint. Wearing a splint can help rest the tendon.
• Stretching exercises. Gentle stretching exercises can help maintain mobility in your finger.

Surgery or other procedures

If your symptoms are serious or if conservative treatments haven't helped, your healthcare professional might suggest:

• Steroid injection. An injection of a steroid near or into the tendon sheath may reduce swelling and allow the tendon to glide freely again. An injection is often effective for more than a year. Some people need more than one injection.
• Needle procedure. After numbing your palm, a member of your care team inserts a sturdy needle into the tissue around your affected tendon. Moving the needle and your finger helps break apart the tissue that's blocking the smooth motion of the tendon. Using ultrasound to guide the procedure can improve results.
• Surgery. Working through a small incision near the base of your affected finger, a surgeon cuts open the narrowed section of tendon sheath, allowing the tendon to glide freely again.

Clinical trials

Explore Mayo Clinic studies testing new treatments, interventions and tests as a means to prevent, detect, treat or manage this condition.

Preparing for your appointment

You'll probably start by seeing your primary healthcare professional to figure out what is causing your symptoms.

What you can do

Make sure to bring a list of all the medicines and supplements you take regularly. You also might want to write down some questions in advance. Examples include:

• What's causing my symptoms?
• Is this condition temporary or long lasting?
• What treatments are available?
• Are there complications associated with this condition or its treatments?

What to expect from your doctor

Your healthcare professional is likely to ask you a number of questions. Being ready to answer these questions may allow more time to go over other important information.

Questions your provider might ask include:

• What symptoms are you experiencing?
• How long have you been experiencing these symptoms?
• Do your symptoms seem to come and go, or do you always have them?
• Does anything seem to make your symptoms better?
• Does anything seem to make your symptoms worse?
• Are your symptoms worse in the morning or at any particular time of the day?
• Do you perform repetitive tasks on the job or for hobbies?
• Have you recently experienced any injury to your hand?