"Trigger Finger" Anyone?

[West R Lee]

I'd never heard of it until about a month ago. I finished a round of golf and my left index finger was absolutely killing me. Killing me to the point that I can no longer fret with that finger, and it's really got me down.

My son in law, who is an outstanding PA in Tyler diagnosed it as "trigger finger", which apparently is an inflammation and swelling in the tubes that our tendons run through in order to extend and retract our fingers. he sent me to a hand specialists/surgeon there. The surgeon confirmed what my son in law had said. Last week the surgeon injected it with cortisone and told me he wanted me back on the 20th for an evaluation. He wanted to give it a couple of weeks to heal and told me to play golf and guitar and to even do it in excess to see if the cortisone helped. Apparently it hasn't, as this sucker hurts like hell. I'm afraid the next step is surgery.

I know some of us are older and wondered if any of you had even had a similar experience, and what your outcome might have been?

West

 

[walrus]

That sucks! Wishing you well on dealing with it...

walrus

 

[fronobulax]

I've heard of it but never knew anyone who had it as a diagnosis. Good luck, whatever the next step is.

 

[West R Lee]

I THINK the surgeon actually goes in there and just lays the sheaths around the tendon open. I'm just wondering about long term prognosis? Do you lose mobility? I'll find out on Thursday I guess.

West

 

[Default]

I had it for a while. I changed the way I was carrying mail and it went away. I don't think I did any more than that.

 

[FNG]

Hope it gets better, West....no guitar or golf...

 

[davismanLV]

I'm sure you know all about what it is and what they propose. Seems to be relatively successful. Above a 90% success rate is usually quoted. There are a couple of different ways to do it. This article was somewhat helpful to understand what it is and what they do.

Trigger Finger Surgery: What to Expect

Your doctor might suggest trigger finger surgery when medication, steroid shots, and exercises don’t help your condition. It has a high success rate, and you’re typically home soon after it’s over.

www.webmd.com

 

[West R Lee]

I had it for a while. I changed the way I was carrying mail and it went away. I don't think I did any more than that.

No cortisone or anything Steve? I thought the injection would work miracles, but it hasn't helped a bit. I played golf yesterday and it's killing me. Rest is really the only thing I haven't tried, but the doctor didn't suggest it, in fact, he told me to use it.

West

 

[West R Lee]

Hope it gets better, West....no guitar or golf...

No kidding!

West

 

[West R Lee]

I'm sure you know all about what it is and what they propose. Seems to be relatively successful. Above a 90% success rate is usually quoted. There are a couple of different ways to do it. This article was somewhat helpful to understand what it is and what they do.

Trigger Finger Surgery: What to Expect

Your doctor might suggest trigger finger surgery when medication, steroid shots, and exercises don’t help your condition. It has a high success rate, and you’re typically home soon after it’s over.

www.webmd.com

Thank you Tom, I'll read in a bit.....at halftime.

West

 

[Rocky]

Got it in my left middle finger. A shot of cortisone fixed it up for about six months, as did a second. I'm on the third one now, and it should be expiring any day now, and it would be the last one. Doctor said surgery is minor, and that guitar playing is actually good therapy for healing, and that I could be playing (maybe not fully) in a day or two after surgery. Surgery is a permanent fix.

 

[West R Lee]

Got it in my left middle finger. A shot of cortisone fixed it up for about six months, as did a second. I'm on the third one now, and it should be expiring any day now, and it would be the last one. Doctor said surgery is minor, and that guitar playing is actually good therapy for healing, and that I could be playing (maybe not fully) in a day or two after surgery. Surgery is a permanent fix.

Oh man, thanks Rocky. That's exactly what I needed to hear. I appreciate that. Heck, it hurts to type.

West

 

[Rocky]

Oh man, thanks Rocky. That's exactly what I needed to hear. I appreciate that. Heck, it hurts to type.

West

Mine didn't hurt so much, as just inability to straighten the finger without an assist from the other hand. I let it go for a bit, but took care of it when I started worrying if I could still play a 3 hour gig.

The steroid really took 2-3 days to kick in, and the injection was pretty painful, even with the numbing spray. But it was over pretty quickly.

FWIW - if you're planning on getting a flu shot...or any other immunization, you need to have the steroid outside of two weeks on either side. Otherwise you might not get a proper immune response.

 

[davismanLV]

Steroids can do great things, but they also dissolve tissue especially tendons and ligaments. If you get them more than three times, you risk a much more serious problem. But it's the best thing to start with. Thanks for sharing your story @Rocky. Let us know how it goes when you have the procedure!

 

[Stuball48]

Best of diagnosis and future dealings West.

 

[Default]

No cortisone or anything Steve? I thought the injection would work miracles, but it hasn't helped a bit. I played golf yesterday and it's killing me. Rest is really the only thing I haven't tried, but the doctor didn't suggest it, in fact, he told me to use it.

West

It was quite a long time ago, but I'm pretty sure it was an ergonomics thing in my case. I was just reminded that I wore a splint for a while.

 

[West R Lee]

Best of diagnosis and future dealings West.

Thank you Shelby. I appreciate that.

West

 

[West R Lee]

It was quite a long time ago, but I'm pretty sure it was an ergonomics thing in my case. I was just reminded that I wore a splint for a while.

And it may be in mine as well. I play a bunch of golf and interlock my grip, which puts that left index finger sticking out at the knuckle.....then you hit the ground with some pretty good force from time to time. I mentioned hyperextension to the doctor, but he didn't say anything about it. But I agree, I really think it's golf grip related.

West

 

[West R Lee]

Good article Thomas, thanks.

West

Mine didn't hurt so much, as just inability to straighten the finger without an assist from the other hand. I let it go for a bit, but took care of it when I started worrying if I could still play a 3 hour gig.

The steroid really took 2-3 days to kick in, and the injection was pretty painful, even with the numbing spray. But it was over pretty quickly.

FWIW - if you're planning on getting a flu shot...or any other immunization, you need to have the steroid outside of two weeks on either side. Otherwise you might not get a proper immune response.

The steroid going in did sting a bit. In fact, I felt that cortisone go all the way to the finger tip from my palm at the base of my finger. That was the first injection of anything I've had in about 5 years. I don't do shots unless I absolutely have to. When you can't play golf or guitar, you have to. I still have my other favorite "g" though, all nine grandkids.

West

 

[JohnW63]

"I play a bunch of golf and interlock my grip"

Well there's your problem! I always used the Ben Hogan grip.