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Trigger finger problem

Discussion in 'Non-Vegas Chat' started by LucyR., Jul 13, 2012.

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  1. LucyR.

    LucyR. VIP Whale

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    I have a trigger finger problem and I went to see a specialist surgeon.

    The Doc. told me that after surgery my finger would be stiff. Humm.....

    I have decided to go for therapy and see if my finger improves.
    I have been wearing silver rings on that finger so my finder doesn't lock
    and cause pain.

    Has anybody had a problem with a trigger finger? What remedy did you choose to do in order to get rid of the problem? LucyR.
     
  2. DonD

    DonD VIP Whale

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  3. LucyR.

    LucyR. VIP Whale

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    Trigger finger

    The technical name is stenosing tenosynovitis for trigger finger.

    I have had this problem for many years. It all started one night when all of a sudden I woke up with severe pain when my finger locked in a painful position.
    I had to use my other hand to bring it back to it's normal position. It stops hurting the minute it goes back to a normal position.

    My doctor gave me a steroid injection that instantly took the pain away and the problem went away for a year.

    Every year I get an injection but last year I felt it was time to get surgery to fix the problem. But I plan to try physical therapy on my hand first and if that doesn't work I plan to get surgery in Sept.

    If you ever have a doctor give you an injection on your hand for the trigger finger problem.... be prepared for severe pain as the needle goes through all the levels of tissues in your hand.
    I had to bite on a a small towel to stop me from screaming with pain as the needle was pushed into the hand.
    BUT... as soon as the shot is over.... the pain is gone completely. Plus, the finger doesn't lock any more.
    My last shot lasted only 6 months so I know it is time to do something about it.
    At night time I presently use a splinter to hold my finger in a stable position.
    During the day time I wear two rings on the finger to stop it from locking.
    I put one ring on the nuckle so it doesn't bend with pain. Lucy
     
  4. gongoman

    gongoman MIA

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    It can be painful--My sister had it--This group is one of the best --They explain it well

    Code:
    http://indianahandtoshoulder.com/medical_education_hand_trigger_finger.html
     
  5. LucyR.

    LucyR. VIP Whale

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    Trigger finger

    Gongoman, Thank you very much for this website. It has a few finger exercises that I was able to try on my fingers to test the flexability.
    I put ice on the area first and then I made a fist and I heard the finger
    click as it bended. It doesn't hurt anymore like it used to hurt.
    I think that using the finger splint at night time and also using the hand
    braces has helped a lot. Next week I will start therapy on my hands.
    If it doesn't make a difference I plan to get surgery which only takes 10 minutes to cut the area that is causing the problem. Lucy
     
  6. gongoman

    gongoman MIA

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    No problem --Hope ya feel better soon:beer:
     
  7. Jerseyguy

    Jerseyguy MIA

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    Sounds similar to what my friend had

    His one hand would curl up like a claw and freeze there.
    Its called something like Dubashins Contractions,sounds like that anyway.
    He had the tendons operated on ,helped a bit. Doc told him it's prevelant in people of Irish descent,this was 25 years ago so hopefully theres been advances .
    Good luck,hope you get relief from this.
     
  8. LucyR.

    LucyR. VIP Whale

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    de Quervain disease

    I just want to blow your minds with that fancy name. I have that problem
    in my left hand. It is tendonitis which is an inflammation of the tendons.
    I plan to get hand therapy to get rid of the problem.
    I inherited osteoarthritis from my mother. I inherited vision problems from
    my dad. I also inherited a tendon problem from an ancestor in the palm on my right hand. The doc said it was inherited and it could grow bigger.
    Yikes. I have to wear hand braces at times to feel better.

    Jerseyguy, Yes, the other fingers also may lock on me too. Some of them do click down but they don't hurt. I just have to learn to live with that problem or get surgery on all of my fingers. Lucy
     
  9. CinnamintStick

    CinnamintStick High-Roller

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    My Grandson in this picture now 5 and I both have trigger finger. It happens when we sleep or have not moved our hand for a while. I have Rheumatoid Arthritis which is common for trigger finger. My grandson might also have RA since it can be inherited. If I massage the palm of my hand when I wake up I can get it to unlock. It want to lock back up until I get moving good. My Grandson looks at my hand and says it working. It broke my heart when I first seen his fingers lock.

    When my meds are working my fingers are fine. They just are not working like they where.
     
  10. LucyR.

    LucyR. VIP Whale

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    trigger fingers

    Cinnamon, I had surgery done on one of my fingers two years ago. Now I am planning to get another surgery on my right hand middle finger.

    I am sooo sorry about the 5yr.old inheriting that problem too. Yes it is inherited.

    AT night time I put on a finger brace to keep it from locking in my sleep.
    I also sleep with hand braces.

    In the mornings.... I go wash my hands with very cold water to get my fingers and hands back in motion.
    My old doc who is now retired told me to put ice on the finger when it locks so the inflamation can go down and my finder can feel better.
    During the day I put ice on my fingers and hands to make it feel better.
    I am so sorry that you have had that problem for so long. A lot of people don't know how awful it is for us who have that problem. Lucy
     
  11. CinnamintStick

    CinnamintStick High-Roller

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    I started to write earlier but I think my Grandson clicked it off to watch You Tube before I hit submit.

    It is pretty painful but for me it hurts worse when I try to hold it open when I sleep. My inflammation is cause by my immune system attacking all my joints (autoimmune disease) not just my hands. Luckily it is seldom my whole body but it plays tag. Right now it is my hands but my feet are the most damaged. My toes are twisting and I also have hammer toes. I am not in any pain with my feet right now. When I do have pain it feels like all the tendons are pulling and culling my toes.

    I take Methotrexate for the RA to suppress my immune system. It worked like a charm for 4 years. No pain at all and my doctor said the damage was slowed or stopped. Its like a mild cemo. I was a bad girl and drank alcohol on a Vegas trip earlier this year. I am not suppose to drink on this medication. Doesn't that suck! I got sick when I got home. I don't know if it was from drinking. I had a stupid doctor give me a medication that said on line is toxic when mixed with methotrexate. I kept calling my doctor telling them I was getting sicker and the said keep taking the antibiotic until it is gone. I could not even eat or sit up in bed. I decided to go get my blood work done. I have lab work done regularly to check my liver. Doctor called me late one night to tell me to stop taking all medication. My liver was so screwed up. My RA went crazy out of control until my liver counts were normal. I am back on the medication but it is not working like it did before. My doctor added a malaria medication three weeks ago because it sometimes helps take swelling down. My ankles look great but my hands have not improved yet.
     
  12. LucyR.

    LucyR. VIP Whale

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    Cinnamin

    I am so sorry for your medical problems. I have osteoarthritis.

    I have a drug book and I always make sure my doctors give me the meds
    that are safe for me to take. I like to read the "INSERTS" when I pick up any
    meds from the pharmacy.

    When I go to Vegas I stop all of my meds to clean out my body. I do that sometimes at home too.

    Does the weather affect your body too?

    I get severe pain in my legs when I spend the night near the cold ocean
    in the winter time.
    I live in a location which has really nice weather.

    I hope you are doing okay today. Lucy
     
  13. CinnamintStick

    CinnamintStick High-Roller

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    Thanks, It get hard some time but until recently I was doing better than most people with RA. I do try to go off my meds before Las Vegas but it is hard to clear your body from Methotrexate. It has to build up in your system before it works and I want to be able to get out of bed. It takes at least 8 weeks before it will start to work and at least 3 months to be in full effect. Since RA causes deformity and damage I am taking risk anytime I miss the medication. I just don't want my hands to look like this image. https://www.google.com/search?q=rheumatoid+arthritis+hands&hl=en&prmd=imvns&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=OkwDUPDPKcPi2QWX9t2JCw&ved=0CEcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1024&bih=673 It is usually advised to go off of it for 6 months before trying to get pregnant because the clear time is so long. If they don't start working my next step is infusions that cost more money than I have.
     
  14. Bubbavegas

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    Lucy my wife went through the surgery for this last summer, great success in short and mind you she is Type 1 diabetic also which with extremities can slow healing. She works as an accountant so she is constantly using that hand as it was her ten key hand she had the surgery on. She was bandaged for only a week and went right back to work with according to her very little stiffness in her hand and to date she has had zero issues with the hand. I mentioned this thread to her and she said tell ya to go through the surgery and forget the therapy business, she wore a splint of sorts for about 9 months and wishes she had went through with the surgery off the bat instead. Any other ???? just ask be more than willing to let ya know anything else ya like.
     
  15. LucyR.

    LucyR. VIP Whale

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    Thank you all for your advise

    Bubba, Please tell your wife that I do plan to get the surgery. I have been stalling to get the right doctor and the right hospital to get the surgery done.

    I have already had a trigger finger surgery on my left hand already two years ago. Now I need to have the right hand finger surgery. I don't want
    to have the same doctor do the surgery on my right hand because I think
    he did a lousy job on my left hand. It took almost a year for the finger to get somewhat normal. It should have gone back to normal and it didn't.
    I didn't have any pain after surgery and my hand did heal right away.
    But the trigger finger still clicks and locks sometimes and that is not normal.

    I want to have the surgery done in Sept. when the weather is cooler.

    I have been very indecisive because I have a favorite hospital to get the surgery done. I have been looking for a doctor to do the surgery at my favorite hospital. I found a doctor who can do the surgery at a 5 star hospital near me. Thank you for responding. Lucy
     
  16. Username

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    Lucy.......since I shoot and hunt a LOT........that would be a death sentence for me........I REALLY HOPE THIS WORKS OUT FOR YOU.........PRAYER SENT.... :)
     
  17. LucyR.

    LucyR. VIP Whale

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    Trigger finger

    Hi Username, it is the middle finger that is messed up.lol.

    It is called a trigger finger because it clicks like if you are using a gun. Lucy
     
  18. BobCat

    BobCat Tourist

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    Had trigger thumb early last year. Doc did 2 cortisone shots in it. Each lasted about 6-7 weeks before it would wear off. Didn't have any pain for that 6-7 weeks. After 2nd shot wore off, he did surgery to "cut/widen" the tendon sheath. It was easy surgery, just a couple stitches although I was "out" for it. No real pain after the surgery. Went to therapist after about 10 days for stitch removal and evaluation. Didn't need therapy and the thumb seems fine now. I did feel a knot at the base of the thumb for about 10 months but I think it was just the tissure healing.
     
  19. LucyR.

    LucyR. VIP Whale

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    Hi BobCat

    I also used to get cortizone shots for my trigger finger until recently I decided it was best to get the surgery because the shots didn't last as long as they used to last.
    I decided it is better just to get the surgery and get it over with.

    I have also had two trigger fingers on my left hand recently but they got better on their own. I hope they stay normal. Lucy
     
  20. LucyR.

    LucyR. VIP Whale

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    I saw a new doctor today and....

    He was hard to communicate with about me needing surgery on my
    trigger fingers.
    I went to see him to set a date for my finger surgery. He took x-rays and
    he said I might need carpal tunnel surgery too.
    To make a long story short I found out that he can't do the surgery until
    November.
    What a waste of my time. "Duh". I need to get my surgery soon because
    my hand is in pain.
    He was a real busy doctor and didn't want to take the time to make things
    clear what type of surgery he was going to do on my hand.
    Plus, he was real vague about the carpal tunnel which I don't have presently.
    He said I could have a problem in the future. I think he wanted me to
    say to go ahead with the carpal tunnel surgery because he said that he does the surgeries to help people and not to just be making extra money.

    I realize now that he was being too pushy in getting extra surgery done
    on my hand which I don't need.
    I don't plan to see him again since he was so impatient with me and as much as I tried to get him to communicate clearly to me.....he didn't do it.

    Lucy
     
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