People believe that hand injuries only happen to sportsmen or workers in manufacture. However, the truth is that finger injuries can happen to anyone.
It doesn’t matter whether you are working at a construction site, or a computer – you can get a trigger finger. Follow us through this post to learn more about this issue and how to deal with this injury using these 5 non-surgical ways.
What Is Trigger Finger
Trigger finger, as its name implies, is a condition in which your finger is locked and closed in your palm. When you have a trigger finger you can’t move your finger, or it’s too painful to do so.
This condition can happen to anyone as long as they are putting too much pressure on the finger, or flexing it on the regular. The condition, in itself, isn’t too serious, as you can treat it without surgery.
Here’s how you can do so.
Trigger Finger Splint
A splint for the trigger finger is the number one solution for this type of issue and you can find more info here. The splint holds the finger, slowly fixates it to its normal position, while reducing the pain. When you wear the splint you can rest assured that your finger is going to heal from this injury.
However, if the trigger finger progressed too far, the surgery remains the only option. The reason why so many people use the splint is that it’s easy to afford, easy to use, and it gives proven results.
Also, it comes with a bunch of different models, made from various materials blends. So, when you put it on your finger, the slow recovery process starts. However, you can rest assured that you’ll be able to fix your finger again in a few weeks.
Exercises
Some people don’t like a splint. It bores them and bothers them to wear one. They can’t move their hand freely, and that’s why they avoid it as much as they can. Luckily, if they don’t want to go to surgery, they can exercise!
However, exercises only work for a mild to mid-level trigger finger. If you have a more serious case of the deformity you have to do physical therapy or surgery.
The exercises can be done with no equipment, or you can use a rubber band. The point is to use different exercises to stretch out the finger. You should never aid the finger by using the other hand.
Instead, the whole focus is to regain mobility in the finger. Most exercises you can do are based on lifting the finger. But, sometimes that’s just not enough and you have to take other methods that can help you to unlock your finger.
Physical Therapy
When physical exercises tend not to work than you have to address your issue physical therapy. The difference between physical therapy and regular exercises is in the intensity of the program. With exercises, you rely on non-systematic efforts to treat your injury.
However, that only works for milder injuries. People use physical therapy when they go to the doctor’s and have to approach treatment seriously. Physical therapy includes a systematized approach to treatment.
It’s a mixture of exercises and stretches you use to regain flexibility and mobility of the finger. Besides that, the doctor uses electric and laser impulses as well to complement this treatment and makes it even more successful.
You should prepare yourself mentally first since this program you are going to attend will last for a few weeks. Additionally, you’ll probably get to wear a splint while you are in therapy too, just to keep your finger bandaged and in place.
However, sometimes even all that combined won’t work.
Steroid Injections
So far, the only reviewed cases of trigger finger weren’t the hard cases. Sometimes, patients don’t treat their trigger fingers for prolonged periods. Therefore, their finger gets stuck in the flexed position. And, you can’t move it with a splint or even physical therapy.
Then, you have to use steroid injections. While it may sound scary, steroid injects are a fast way to revitalize the flexed finger and return it to the previous state. At first, you are going to use injections exclusively.
But, once you feel the work of steroids, you are going to start exercising the finger again. Yet, in extreme cases, even that won’t work. Thus, it’s time to try something alternative.
Acupuncture
In some cases, people tend to use acupuncture. Acupuncture is an ancient art based on inserting needles into special nerve points. The goal of acupuncture is to relax, reduce stress, and help you elevate the pain.
It’s especially good for fingers. Fingers don’t have as many nerve points as other surfaces. And, when the finger is flexed, you can access it even easier. The problem with this treatment is finding a competent practitioner to help you.
Also, it’s not something your doctor would naturally recommend, but nevertheless, you should take this treatment into concern. Don’t be shy to mix conventional and non-conventional medicine approach to treat your trigger finger.
So, before you are opt-in for acupuncture, you should do your homework first, gather all the quality information out there, determine the level of your finger injury, and find the best doctor to help you with this.
Go With The Splint
So, we summon the most common and useful methods you can use to help your finger. Still, out of all the tested methods, we find the splint is the best.
It’s a proven and tested way to treat the trigger finger. Other methods put too much stress on what you will do with them. Only trigger finger splints work for you. Take advantage of that fact, it’ll serve you well.
Every case of this issue is a bit different and you should find the solutions that suit your needs in the best possible way. So, don’t be shy to test different options and find a solution or solutions that will help you the most in the long run.