Trigger finger syndrome is a pathology that is accompanied by difficulties in flexion and extension of the fingers. This phenomenon is the result of changes in the synovial cavity, during which the proper functioning of the tendons in the hands is disrupted. With this disease, the fingers are difficult to bend, and when extended, a sharp click occurs. This pathology in medicine is called Knott's disease, stenosing tendovaginitis or ligamentitis, nodular tendonitis or spring finger.
Basic concepts
Before starting treatment, it is necessary to understand the essence of the disease and the causes of its occurrence. Trigger finger syndrome is one of the pathologies of the connective tissue and musculoskeletal system.
Most of the patients with this diagnosis are women. In the fairer sex, the first finger of the hand is most often affected, much less often such symptoms appear on the 3rd or 4th finger.
Causes of disease
In the bodyin a he althy person, the tendon-ligamentous apparatus is capable of producing a special fluid (synovial). It is she who protects individual parts of the joints from abrasion and rapid wear.
Under the influence of some factors, the amount of fluid released decreases, the annular ligament thickens, and the lumen of the canal becomes smaller. Such changes lead to disturbances in the work of the tendon-ligamentous apparatus. Parts of the joints stop sliding, rubbing against each other. This causes microtrauma and the appearance of growths.
Risk factors
The following factors may increase your risk of trigger finger syndrome:
- Increased load on the hands. This risk group includes people engaged in manual labor: seamstresses, drivers, mechanics, workers involved in the manual production of certain types of products.
- Diabetes mellitus.
- Pregnancy. During this period, women's blood circulation is disturbed, which contributes to the appearance of foci of inflammation in the joints.
- Incorrect (uneven) bone development in childhood and adolescence.
- Presence of diseases such as gout and rheumatoid arthritis.
- Anomalies and pathologies of the joints of the phalanx.
- Heredity. If among close relatives there is a person diagnosed with knotty tendonitis, then the risk of the disease in the heirs increases.
Symptoms
The signs and symptoms of trigger finger syndrome are fairly common. It is possible to confuse them with puffiness or other pathologies only at the initial stage of development. Exactlyat this time, the symptoms are extremely weak. patients being monitored:
- Pain. At the very beginning of the pathological process, pain rarely occurs. Most often this happens in the morning after waking up. At this stage, the pain is characterized as weak, passing, if the hand is left without movement. Lack of treatment leads to increased pain.
- Severe pain when touching the affected area and during physical exertion on the fingers.
- Decrease in motor activity and range of motion of the fingers (it becomes difficult to bend and unbend them).
- Increased joint thickening and thickening.
Incorrect selection of treatment or its complete absence leads to an increase in symptoms and a deterioration in the patient's condition. As the disease progresses, there are:
- Severe pain is present even at rest and with no load.
- Pain sensations are concentrated not only in the area of the affected joint, but also spread to the hand, forearm or even shoulder.
- A click occurs when the finger is flexed and extended.
- Possible complication in the form of a large painful bump located at the base of the finger.
Stages of the disease
In medicine, there are 3 stages in the development of trigger finger syndrome:
1st stage. The very beginning of the development of the disease. Symptoms are mild, with some pain present.
2nd stage. It is at this stage of the diseasemany patients come to the clinic as symptoms become more severe.
3rd stage. This period is accompanied by complications and requires long-term complex treatment.
Diagnosis
Stenosing ligamentitis (trigger finger) can be diagnosed based on the patient's complaints and initial examination. During this procedure, the doctor checks the performance of the joint, its condition, the presence of seals and swelling.
In some cases, ultrasound diagnostics is required to obtain additional data. During the ultrasound examination, it is possible to obtain information about the condition of the tendons and muscles.
Conservative treatment
People suffering from this disease often ask the question of what to do when they snap their fingers and whether it is possible to completely get rid of this pathology.
In cases where the disease is detected at an early stage and is not complicated by intense pain and induration, conservative treatment is sufficient to restore the functioning of the joint. Doctors may prescribe several types of therapy depending on the characteristics and complexity of the diagnosis.
- Fixing the brush. Sometimes, to eliminate the symptoms and causes of the disease, it is enough to reduce the load on the arm. To do this, they put a special splint on it, which fixes the finger.
- Massage. Massage procedures are often included in complex therapy for nodular tendonitis. This action restores proper blood circulation and helps reduce inflammation.
- Therapeutic and preventive exercises. In many cases, in the treatment of stenosingligamentitis (trigger finger syndrome), therapeutic exercises are recommended. However, they should not be done on your own. For stage 2 and 3 disease, this approach is recommended only for the recovery stage.
- Cold compresses. Exposure to cold will reduce the pain syndrome, but will not get rid of the cause of the disease.
- Steroid drugs. The presence of pronounced symptoms requires a course of steroid injections. Such drugs act locally (in the affected area) and help eliminate inflammation, pain and other manifestations. In severe cases, several intermittent courses may be required.
Percutaneous release
How to cure trigger finger syndrome without surgery if medicines and massage do not help? In such cases, doctors often resort to percutaneous release. This procedure is an impact directly on the focus of pathology.
A needle is inserted into the area of the damaged joint, with the help of which they destroy tissues and formations that impede the normal functioning of the joint. After that, additional therapeutic measures (massage, exercises) are prescribed.
Surgery
Surgery for trigger finger syndrome is prescribed in cases where therapeutic methods of treatment do not give the desired result. During this procedure, the surgeon makes an incision at the base of the finger and removes the overgrown tendon tissue, as a result of which the motor activity of the joint is fully restored.
This operation takes quite a bit of time, and a small incision contributes to a quick recovery.
In the postoperative period, the doctor may prescribe additional treatment, temporary fixation of the finger and other options for exposure.
Treatment of trigger finger syndrome at home
In addition to traditional methods of therapy, there are many folk recipes, but before using them, several features should be taken into account.
It is recommended to use traditional medicine only for stenosing ligamentitis in the initial stage. In case of severe pain and inflammation, you should immediately contact the clinic. Otherwise, the condition will only get worse.
If there is no improvement in 10-14 days of treatment according to the prescriptions of healers, and the intensity of symptoms has not decreased, it is recommended to abandon alternative methods of therapy and seek medical help.
In the piggy bank of healers there are such recipes:
Compresses from raw potatoes. To prepare a remedy, raw potatoes are peeled and crushed. You can do this with a blender or a fine grater. The resulting slurry is heated to a temperature of 37-38 degrees, wrapped in a bandage or gauze and applied overnight to the diseased joint. A scarf or woolen cloth is applied over the compress. This recipe will help to quickly relieve pain and swelling
- Aloe pulp. To quickly eliminate inflammation and swellinghelps medicinal plant aloe. Use it as a compress. A piece is cut off from a fresh leaf, which is somewhat larger than the size of the damaged joint. This leaf fragment is divided lengthwise into 2 halves and applied with pulp to the skin. Such a compress is fixed with a bandage or gauze. You need to change the aloe leaf 3 times a day.
- Cabbage leaf compress. Familiar to everyone, white cabbage is an effective folk remedy for the treatment of trigger finger. A piece of cabbage leaf is separated from the head, slightly crushed (to make the leaf softer) and applied to the diseased joint. Fix the sheet with a bandage bandage. Repeat 10 days.
- Propolis. Raw propolis is mixed in equal amounts with vegetable oil. The finger is treated with the resulting liquid daily for 2 weeks. Propolis is famous for its anti-inflammatory properties, so this medicine is good at blocking many of the symptoms of Knott's disease.
- Decoction of eucalyptus. For 1 st. a spoonful of dry crushed leaf of the plant requires 1 tbsp. boiling water. Eucalyptus is brewed and left under the lid until it cools. Apply this decoction should be for compresses. To do this, gauze or bandage, folded in several layers, is moistened in a decoction, slightly squeezed and applied to the sore joint all night. Such a compress quickly relieves pain and relieves the condition.
- Compress of clay and arnica. For such a recipe, you will need arnica tincture and healing clay. These ingredients are sold in every pharmacy. A small amount of ingredients (they must be taken in equal parts) are mixed until a homogeneousmasses. It should be of such a consistency that it can be formed into a cake and applied to the joint. The first procedure should last no more than 40-45 minutes. The second session is about 2 hours. If such a remedy does not cause redness, the compress is left overnight. To prevent the mass from drying out quickly, a film and a bandage are applied over it.
Prevention
The above methods and remedies fully answer the question of how to cure trigger finger syndrome. There are many treatment options now, but it is much easier and faster to block Knott's disease at its earliest stages.
The periodic appearance of swelling of the fingers, a feeling of numbness and tingling indicate the onset of problems. In this case, you can:
- Give hands a long rest.
- Alternate load types.
- Use Ibuprofen ointment to relieve inflammation, swelling and pain.
At the same time, you need to remember that you should not delay a visit to the doctor. Even treatment with effective means should be started only after a medical examination and diagnosis. The maximum effect is achieved precisely when using complex methods of treatment.
