Does your hand click and pop when you make a fist or open it?
Does your hand hurt in the morning and at night?
There are a lot of different hand problems you can have when it comes to hand pain. For example, trigger finger OR trigger thumb might be one of the causes of hand pain that SLOWS you down.
Doing a thorough evaluation will help determine if that is indeed the problem and what you need to do to get to the source of the problem. Just assuming you need to go right to the tendon doesn’t always get you great results.
Before I go into what to do to get rid of trigger finger, let me tell you why people tend to wait so long.
The thing with trigger finger pain is that it doesn’t STOP you from doing anything unless you have had surgery. So you can still drive, use your phone/computer, and even go to work. And because it’s not that painful YET, most people put it off for much longer than they need to. And that’s how a small problem can become a much larger problem.
Because the trigger finger mostly clicks and may hurt sometimes, it feels like it is not an urgent matter. That’s why people generally wait too long and then it becomes more painful and can become painful when you wake up in the morning with pain and stiffness.
What is trigger finger?
A trigger finger is basically a small ball of swelling along your tendon, and every time you open or close your hand, it passes by the pulley system and causes more swelling and pain.
It’s nearly impossible to stop using your hand during the day, so it becomes a constant aggravation for your hand. And at night, it’s aggravated because the natural position in sleeping is to make a fist.
Imagine an oyster that gets a grain of sand inside, and over time it builds a layer upon layer until one day, it has a pearl.
This is your hand. Something irritated that one area. And over time, every time you use your hand at home and at work, it builds a layer upon layer of swelling and scar tissue essentially. Unfortunately for us, there’s no pearl and there’s NO VALUE in the ball that you have in your hand.
If you are NOT sure you have trigger finger, just give us a call at 786-615-9879 and speak with our Miami certified hand therapist to get you clear on what’s really wrong and what you can do about it.
If you are serious about avoiding injections and surgery, we have strategies and custom programs that can help you get rid of trigger finger or thumb.
We have been able to avoid surgery in even the most difficult cases. Save yourself time and money, and get fast help sooner than later.
Here are 3 tips that I share with my clients to get rid of hand pain from trigger finger:
-
Directly ice the area 2-3 times daily for 5 minutes.
-
Stop the trigger. There are a few different ways we do this but it all depends on where it is triggering and where the true problem is.
-
Stop making a fist! Seriously, you are making it worse by constantly closing your hand.
I hope that sheds some light on what you can do to get started.
If you want to get rid of hand pain from trigger finger – give us a call. Request to speak to our hand specialist. We like to ensure that we can help you before taking you on as a client.
One thing we do well here at Hands-on Therapy Services is getting you clear on what’s wrong so that we can create a custom-fitted plan that works for you.
There’s no cookie-cutter program where you sit with a bunch of other people waiting your turn to get relief from your thumb pain. Instead, learn exactly what you need to do if you don’t want injections or surgery.
Written by Hoang Tran
About the author – Hoang Tran
Hoang Tran is a certified hand therapist , the owner of Hands-on Therapy Services and author of the book “The Hands-On Approach”. She loves helping people with hand, neck and shoulder problems, because she knows how bad and debilitating they can get if not addressed and treated properly (once and for all!).
The aim of her Miami occupational therapy practice is to bring patients back to full functionality, without pills, injections or surgery. Occupational and Physical Therapy are both offered at Hands-On Therapy by our experienced therapists who provide a comprehensive approach to your care.
If you are struggling with hand and wrist pain, including
or any other hand, elbow or neck injuries, speak with one of our specialists for FREE by signing up for a 30-minute Discovery Visit here! Talk to our specialist first before booking any paid session. We like to ensure that we can help you before taking you on as a client.
In these difficult times, we are here to help. Telehealth and online sessions are available!
The material contained on this site is for informational purposes only and DOES NOT CONSTITUTE THE PROVIDING OF MEDICAL ADVICE, and is not intended to be a substitute for independent professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your health.