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Trigger Finger Diagnosis

endobear

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Been having pain, weekness and my fingers locking up on my right hand for about a year. Went to see my hand surgeon that did my carpal tunnel surgery and she says I have trigger Finger. Need surgery. Gave me a cortisone shot to help get me through my busy season.
Surgery is scheduled for next month.
Anybody ever had it done or know anyone that has?
Not sure what to expect.
Doc says it's an easy recovery. No PT. She said the same thing about my carpal tunnel surgery and I was out of work for almost 2 months.
 

TPC

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I wanted a .44 mag revolver but I suffer the same and so not a good idea.

Prednisone helps with the pain and stiffness but not in restoring lost strength.
So some physical therapy.
IMG_3277.jpeg
 

DLC

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Neighbor had it done, had to wear a metal finger brace, wasn’t that painful just awkward
 

monkeyswrench

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You work with your hands, if I'm not mistaken? Ladders, buckets and such are pretty hard on the fingers. Two of my roofing friends had it done in their mid-50's. They seemed to bounce back pretty quick, and we're back working in two weeks.
 

DesertFam

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So that is what I have lol. My right index finger occasionally locks up and feels like rubber band springing when it finally releases. It does not do it often and I have not seen a doctor but I have been wondering what it was.
 

Warlock1

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I had a bout of trigger finger as well about 8 or 9 months ago. Got the shot and it took a few days and it disappeared. In August I woke up one morning and couldn't get out of bed due to screaming shoulders and hips. The pain was excruciating and I didn't have enough strength to roll over to get up. Now I am being tested for PMR and other autoimmune diseases.
What I am saying is maybe it's just trigger finger, or it could be something else. Tell your Doctor about any signs or symptoms of weak or sore joints. Stiffness, joint swelling or the feeling of tightness in the joints.
Whatever I have sucks and made me feel like a 90 year old man overnight. Fortunately Prednisone is keeping the symptoms at bay for now.
 

checkrdpast

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had all digits done with 2 redos. in the end all came out great. Here's the bad, Some healing after surgery was a no pain deal and a few were I ll never do it again. But i did.
 

Kachina26

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I had a bout of trigger finger as well about 8 or 9 months ago. Got the shot and it took a few days and it disappeared. In August I woke up one morning and couldn't get out of bed due to screaming shoulders and hips. The pain was excruciating and I didn't have enough strength to roll over to get up. Now I am being tested for PMR and other autoimmune diseases.
What I am saying is maybe it's just trigger finger, or it could be something else. Tell your Doctor about any signs or symptoms of weak or sore joints. Stiffness, joint swelling or the feeling of tightness in the joints.
Whatever I have sucks and made me feel like a 90 year old man overnight. Fortunately Prednisone is keeping the symptoms at bay for now.
Yikes, I went through a short time (a few weeks maybe) where my hips seemed like they were on fire. Did not impact my ability to move, was just uncomfortable. Figured I was just getting old. It went away eventually, so I thought nothing of it. If it comes back, maybe I'll look into it.
 

Joker

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My fingers in both hands have locked up on me for 30 some years. Got it from working on the line in a meat packing plant.
 

endobear

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So that is what I have lol. My right index finger occasionally locks up and feels like rubber band springing when it finally releases. It does not do it often and I have not seen a doctor but I have been wondering what it was.
My middle finger is the culprit. Started just like you described years ago. About a year ago it started locking up every night. All night and moved to my index and pointer.
 

endobear

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You work with your hands, if I'm not mistaken? Ladders, buckets and such are pretty hard on the fingers. Two of my roofing friends had it done in their mid-50's. They seemed to bounce back pretty quick, and we're back working in two weeks.
Constantly working with my hands. Spraying, brushing, taping, caulking and the worst is sanding. If im not working I'm tinkering on something in the garage or working on my house.
Doc says the same thing. 2-3 weeks and I'll be back to work.
 

endobear

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My fingers in both hands have locked up on me for 30 some years. Got it from working on the line in a meat packing plant.
I've been told by some old timers that if you don't fix it early they can't fix it.
Friend of my grandmother in law says his right hand is mostly useless from not treating his TF early.
 

endobear

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I sleep terribly. Every time I wake up my fingers are locked up. Hurts like a mf to unlock them. Which makes it harder to get back to sleep. Which makes it easier to just not mess with it. Wait until morning. Then it's real bad. Have to wipe with the stranger for those 1st couple dumps in the a.m.
Forget trying to pour or drink the 1st few cups of coffee.
Once I get them moving I can manage. But depending on what I'm doing, I can hardly hold my beer by dinner.
 

Willie B

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I wanted a .44 mag revolver but I suffer the same and so not a good idea.

Prednisone helps with the pain and stiffness but not in restoring lost strength.
So some physical therapy. View attachment 1302139
…Hmmm???… maybe I need prednisone… The pain was excruciating today… 5 mg of Norco and Gabapentin didn’t do much for the pain??!…
 

Wayn-o

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I have it. Mostly occurrs in the morning but does happen other times. For the most part, I can almost feel when its about to lock up and stop doing whatever im doing thats causing it. Kind of painful to bend the finger back and unlock it. As said, its a simple surgery where they go in and cut the tube open that the tendon slides through.
 

endobear

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had all digits done with 2 redos. in the end all came out great. Here's the bad, Some healing after surgery was a no pain deal and a few were I ll never do it again. But i did.
So what were you doing that caused it in all your fingers?
 

endobear

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Since I started this thread it has gotten really bad. Loss of strength, struggling to do simple tasks with my bad hand. Finger locking up all day if I closed my hand past a certain point. Crazy marble sized lump growth on the joint in my palm. Hurt like hell whenever it touched something.
Had surgery this morning. Apparently the marble thing was a cyst pushing on the nerves.
Crazy part about the surgery. They woke me up before they stitched it up to make a fist to make sure it was all good. Then put me back to sleepy time to finish. Kinda freaked me out.
 

outboard_256

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I had it. They inserted a pin through my finger so I couldn't bend it. After like 6 weeks they took it out and all was good again.
 

jetboatperformance

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Very occasionally I have this odd ass deal where my right index finger goes closed and I literally put my hand on a flat surface and put pressure with the other hand to hold it flat till the cramp subsides recently was at a super market I know it freaked the checker out watching me 🤣


 

TPC

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I'm going in to UCLA for Cortisone shots to the finger joints next week.
 

monkeyswrench

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Very occasionally I have this odd ass deal where my right index finger goes closed and I literally put my hand on a flat surface and put pressure with the other hand to hold it flat till the cramp subsides recently was at a super market I know it freaked the checker out watching me 🤣


This is what mine does as well. Kind of like the constable from Young Frankenstein's arm...have to manually reset it.
 

CarolynandBob

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I'm going in to UCLA for Cortisone shots to the finger joints next week.

It seams I get this about once a year. Sometimes every other. As soon as it starts I call for an appointment. Get the shot. Feels good a couple of days later. Not sure why it happens.
 
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TPC

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It seams I get this about once a year. Sometimes every other. As soon as it starts I call for an appointment. Get the shot. Feels good a couple of days later. Not sure why it happens.
I've been getting them in my knee. MFSOB every molecule in my body lights up. Brutal. Colossal pain. 2 minute injection is 20 dog minutes.
I have to act stoic in front of the wife,, no wussies around needles.
 

rrrr

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I've had TF problems with the middle digit of my left hand for a few years. The last cortisone shot eight months ago has calmed it down. Maybe that's just because the ring and little finger were torn to hell by the fucking dog attack, the pain from the nerve damage is dominant now, so I ignore the TF.

Anyway, I'm glad some of you are finding relief. Losing hand function throws everything into turmoil. I think we don't appreciate the miracle of all those tiny nerves and muscles that can do incredible things until the day comes when something changes how they work.
 

Javajoe

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Has 2 on the same hand done. They just did a nerve blocker I guess and I was awake. I just had my arm way to the side out of my view. Super easy. No pain afterwards. Strange thing is I had scar tissue grow at one of the areas and caused it again just not as bad. May do it again since it locks up sometimes when I work out.
 

endobear

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Resized_20240111_194225.jpeg
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38 days post surgery. 90% back to normal. Did have a little infection going on from a stitch the PAs assistant missed. I knew he was struggling when he was pulling the stitches. I almost offered to do it myself. Dumbass..
Once the scabs cleared up it was obvious there was a stitch still in. 10 days after the rest of the stitches had came out.
Instant relief once the wife pulled it.
So far. Id say the procedure was a complete success.
 

monkeyswrench

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View attachment 1329076 View attachment 1329077 38 days post surgery. 90% back to normal. Did have a little infection going on from a stitch the PAs assistant missed. I knew he was struggling when he was pulling the stitches. I almost offered to do it myself. Dumbass..
Once the scabs cleared up it was obvious there was a stitch still in. 10 days after the rest of the stitches had came out.
Instant relief once the wife pulled it.
So far. Id say the procedure was a complete success.
Same thing happened when I lost my finger. Apparently they don't write down how many stitches they used, so they don't know to look for more? Dug mine out with a pocket knife, but it was on my non-dominant hand.
 
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Javajoe

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Keep the area massaged. Mine developed scar tissue and its happening again 🤦‍♂️ Surgeon couldn’t believe it. Guess I’ll get it done again
 

monkeyswrench

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Flush cuts are good for uses other than tie wraps.

😁

View attachment 1329261
Flushcuts wouldn't have been much help. The stitch had been folded under, like a burrito, and then healed over. I could feel it, but physical therapist and ortho thought it was just nerve damage. Dug it loose with a Buck, and cut it with fingernail clippers.
 

Gelcoater

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View attachment 1329076 View attachment 1329077 38 days post surgery. 90% back to normal. Did have a little infection going on from a stitch the PAs assistant missed. I knew he was struggling when he was pulling the stitches. I almost offered to do it myself. Dumbass..
Once the scabs cleared up it was obvious there was a stitch still in. 10 days after the rest of the stitches had came out.
Instant relief once the wife pulled it.
So far. Id say the procedure was a complete success.
Dude, you gotta tell em.
The kids theory😉
 

rrrr

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That’s one expensive hand. I’m surprised insurance didn’t just finally cut it off and tag it TOTALED
They might as well have done it. The surgeries didn't do much to repair the nerve damage. MF'er is numb and painful 100% of the time, those two fingers are always cold because of the circulatory damage, and I can barely touch my palm with them.

I'm going to a different surgeon next week to see if anything can be done. I'm actually thinking about doing the @monkeyswrench mod. It's that bad.
 

monkeyswrench

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They might as well have done it. The surgeries didn't do much to repair the nerve damage. MF'er is numb and painful 100% of the time, those two fingers are always cold because of the circulatory damage, and I can barely touch my palm with them.

I'm going to a different surgeon next week to see if anything can be done. I'm actually thinking about doing the @monkeyswrench mod. It's that bad.
Most people don't understand how it can be both numb and painful. Nerve damage is it's own kind of stupid. When I lost my finger, that hand was already messed up from the car accident.
 

Angler

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I get it on my left index finger while on long drives. It hurts like a MF sometimes.
 
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