RSI-Relief

Trigger Finger is a type of repetitive strain injury (RSI) condition that occurs when a nodule or adhesion forms on the tendon and gets caught as it passes through the tendon sheath or pulley system when the finger is flexed.

Painful, uncomfortable, and downright debilitating, the condition can impede the ability to participate in simple everyday tasks. Although surgery is one potential treatment option, it is important to understand the full range of interventions that are available to treat trigger finger.

In general, rest and over-the-counter medications are the most common recommendation for treating the condition. If symptoms are very mild or if they are just emerging, these are likely to be the strategies that your doctor recommends. Alternatively, he or she may recommend a cortisone injection or surgery. These trigger finger treatments, although more invasive, also tend to have mixed results. If you opt for an injection, be prepared to come back for more. The intervention is designed to treat acute pain and it is not meant to be a long lasting fix.

For these reasons, many people consider surgery for trigger finger. Surgery is designed to broaden the joint tunnel so that the tendon can move through without getting stuck. It may relieve stiffness and it may help to restore fingers that are permanently locked into a bent position. However, pain and swelling will persist for sometime and recovery to pre-injury levels of strength and dexterity can take years.

An alternative approach to treating trigger finger is to rely on exercises that target the muscles and tendons in the affected area. The exercises can help to restore balance and integrity to the injured areas and can promote improved hand and finger functioning within as little as 4-6 weeks. Browse www.repetitive-strain.com to learn more about ways to combat trigger finger without invasive surgery.

This article was contributed by Jeff Anliker of www.repetitive-strain.com.