PAINFUL AND NOT ITCHY
We have all heard the expression "He (or she) has an itchy trigger finger". Well I have a trigger finger but it is not itchy, it is painful. The middle fingers on both of my hands will lock up and it hurts terribly to open them. Do you know of anyone who has this or have you ever been diagnosed with trigger finger? Is there a way to treat it without surgery? Some nights by the time I go to bed I am in such pain that I cannot get a good night's sleep. The possible reasons are rheumatoid arthritis, stress, carpal tunnel syndrome, diabetes, injured tendons etc. I cannot bear the thought of going to a hand specialist because we are so sick of visiting doctors. It is my hope to find relief in the form of home remedies or the successful treatments others have used. Please let me know if you have any suggestions. Needless to say this ailment affecting the middle fingers of both my right and left hands makes it difficult for me to express myself to people who irritate me. I cannot give them the international anger gesture.:)
Annie, check with an ortho surgeon, people have an outpatient surgery all the time, it called "trigger finger release" I'm not familiar with it but I know its done.
ReplyDeleteMy husband has it. And it is painful. Sandie
ReplyDeleteI'll ask Rick. sandie
ReplyDeleteHi Annie.. its so good to see you..
ReplyDeleteI too will ask around.. Perhaps theres a Reiki worker in your area, and if so, they are extremely helpful..
I'll come back and post here if I find someone who thinks they can help you...
hugs
Sonny
Sorry I cannot advise except to say that you must see the doctor if nothing works soon.
ReplyDeleteHubby had to have surgery on his finger a few months ago and he was given a putty to "work" that helps him keep the mobility in his finger and the stiffness at bay. You might ask your pharmacist if they have the "putty" that you could try.
ReplyDeleteAnnie,
ReplyDeleteI had this very thing.Only it was my right thumb. It was so locked I could not start my car because I couldn't grip the key. I also could not open a doorknob.
So I went to an Orthopedic surgeon who specialized in hands. He told me that I had two choices. One: hand surgery or Two: a very painful needle stuck in my thumb.
I chose the painful needle and he wasn't kidding. It hurt like H for about 2 minutes then I have never had a minute's trouble with that thumb since and that was about 5 years ago.
Choose the needle. You won't regret it.
I am going to look on Web M.D. and see if I can find out what was in the needle. I'll write back if I find out anything.
Annie,
ReplyDeleteThis is from Web M.D.
How Is Trigger Finger Treated?
The first step to recovery is to limit activities that aggravate trigger finger. Occasionally, your doctor may put a splint on the affected hand to restrict the joint movement. If symptoms continue, anti-inflammatory medications, such as ibuprofen or naproxen, may be prescribed. Your doctor may also recommend an INJECTION OF A STEROID MEDICATION INTO THE TENDON SHEATH. If the condition does not respond to conservative measures or consistently recurs, surgery may be recommended to release the tendon sheath and restore movement.
Again,Annie, choose the injection. It really only hurts for a very short time.
I go to an acupuncturist for my joint pain. It was my last resort when everything else (splints, braces, physical therapy, etc. - surgery was even suggested) failed, but I wish I had tried it first.
ReplyDeleteSorry you are having this trouble and do agree you need to check it out. My Granny Annie flipping people off! Tell me it isn't so....
ReplyDeleteMarilyn’s Money – That surgery is what I wish to avoid but I do hear that it is a fairly easy procedure. I wonder what the healing time would be.
ReplyDeleteChatty Crone – I had never heard of this before but is appears a lot of people have. Yes, how does Rick endure the pain?
Sonny – What is “Reiki”. I’ll have to look that up. Please, if you hear of anything easier than surgery, let me know.
Tabor – My Primary Care Physician already ran a lot of tests to rule things out and her next recommendation was a hand specialist. I just know that would mean surgery but maybe they can help other ways.
Marla and Steve – I wonder if silly putty would work? The grand-kids left an egg of that here. I think I’m going to try it. Did Steve have trigger finger or was his surgery for something else?
Nancy – Oh just the thought of the needle makes me nauseous. I am a big baby. Avoiding activities that irritate the fingers is impossible. I’m thinking the cause may have been lifting the big barrel to cover the chicken feeder when I let the goats out might be the cause in the first place and I don’t see how I can quit doing that. Another reason might be the computer and we know I can’t quit that. Because of my heart condition, I cannot take any pain relievers other than acetaminophen. Thanks for your research. My sister uses WebMD a lot also but I can’t get into the site.
Riot Kitty – Does this mean that you finally had the surgery and are glad you did? Or did the acupuncturist give you the results you needed?
Changes in the wind – Yep, sometimes we have to face the worst about our friends:) LOL
Annie,
ReplyDeleteI am not a doctor but I would have to think that if you chose surgery because you didn't like needles, you are going to be disappointed.
The doctor wouldn't consider doing surgery without first numbing the hand he was going to operate on. How would he numb it without giving you a needle?
If he offers you the steroid injection, please just close your eyes for one minute and it will soon be over with no recuperating time like you would have with getting it cut open with surgery.
The main thing is to go to the right doctor in the first place. Only an Orthopedic specialist will know the right way to correct your problem,whether by injection or surgery.
I knew a man, who is deceased now, who had a trigger finger and I never knew it. I never heard him complain about it.
ReplyDeleteNancy -- Okay, I know you are right but I'm just a little disappointed that you didn't pull some painless miracle cure out of your bag of tricks:)
ReplyDeleteAbe Lincoln -- Did your friend die from trigger finger??? If he never complained about it, how did you learn he had it?
I am so sorry to hear this Annie but I suppose phsiotherapy might help.
ReplyDeleteNow sure if you read my previous posts, I met with an accident in USA and had a surgery in New Jersey with three pins on my pinky. When I got back home to Singapore, I continued to see a ortho surgeon and had the pins removed. Unfortunately it looks like a trigger...it does not hurt so much but physio helps a bit.
Wishing you well Annie....
Hi Granny Annie,
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of this thing before, but a simple googling, i got the problem. When it comes to discomforts like this, i always count on ACV (Apple Cider Vinegar). To some people it just works miracles. I suggest you try it. I wish you check out for yourself online what ACV treatments you have for this.
Have you found this page ?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.earthclinic.com/CURES/trigger_finger.html
got some other natural treatments as well, if you wish to try.
Shionge -- Thank you Betty for your concern. I know that therapy will be involved with my final cure but just dread the process. I am so sorry for the injury you sustained and the lingering effects. Sometimes it sounds like all bloggers are falling apart. LOL
ReplyDeleteMonalisa -- Thanks for the research and for forwarding the link to natural remedies. I have heard of ACV as a cure for lots of ills and might give it a try. My primary doctor has done a good workup on my blood and has eliminated a lot of causes which pretty much has left me with the referral to a hand doctor. Nancy has almost made that sound appealing as a final resort.
All my blogger friends -- I have been amazed at you who have heard of trigger finger or researched it for me and I truly appreciate your sincere concern and advice. Surely this too shall pass. I'll keep you posted.
I had a cortizone injection in my wrist years ago- had quite a difficult time driving myself home one-armed after. It did hurt, but long term solved the pain problem.
ReplyDeleteWhen my hands bother me now I soak in a large cup of warm water with Epsom salt (cheap at Walmart in a milk-type carton) so I can move again. Work has given me pins n needles this week- ontop of blisters. You might try regular soaks to speed up healing, but not good for folks with Diabetes.
Good luck!
Snaggle Tooth -- Did you have carpel tunnel syndrome? I am reading that trigger finger can be caused by that. Any medical help I get will cause me to need a driver because I have a trigger finger in each hand. That is the weird part. My sister keeps encouraging me to soak my hands in Epsom salt so I might try that and no, I'm not Diabetic. Thanks a bunch.
ReplyDeleteDear Annie ~~ I am so sorry you have this painful condition and hope some of the above things help you.
ReplyDeleteMaybe you are not meant to make that middle finger salute. lol.
Thank you so much for your comments and I bet that lady didn't even eat the ice cream. Glad you enjoyed the jokes. See you on the bus !!!
Take good care, Love, Merle.
Vitamin B-6 is used to combat carpal tunnel syndrome, joint pain, trigger finger, sensitivity to bright light, burning or tingling in the extremities and inability to recall dreams. It works in combination with magnesium and zinc.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.catalogs.com/info/health/best-vitamin-supplements.html