Trigger Finger

Trigger Finger

Stenosing Tenosynovitis


There are pulleys and tendons in your hand that bend your fingers. The tendons are like ropes that connect the muscles from your arm to your bones in your fingers and thumb. The pulleys are rings that make a tunnel for the tendon to glide through and they hold the tendons close to the bone.

When the pulley gets thick at the base of the finger or thumb, the tendon is not able to move as easily as it should. The tendon may be inflamed and become swollen, so it is hard to straighten or bend the finger. Often the cause of trigger finger is not known. Trauma to the base of the finger, arthritis, gout and diabetes may be factors in some cases

Shows the bones and ligaments of a normal fingerShows the bones and ligaments of trigger finger

Signs

You may have one or more of these signs:

  • Pain or tenderness at the base of the finger or thumb
  • Nodule or bump at the base of the finger
  • Finger locks so you are not able to straighten or bend it

Treatment

You may need to:

  • Take anti-inflammatory medicine to ease swelling and pain
  • Wear a splint to reduce swelling by limiting motion
  • Change your activities to limit motion
  • Have a steroid medicine injected into the base of your finger

If these treatments are not helpful, surgery may be needed. Surgery to relieve trigger finger is most often done as an outpatient procedure with local anesthetic. The pulley at the base of the finger would be cut to allow more space for the tendon to glide through it.


© 2010 - September 9, 2023, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center

This handout is for informational purposes only. Talk with your doctor or health care team if you have any questions about your care. For more health information, contact the Library for Health Information at 614-293-3707 or health-info@osu.edu.