Hand > Trigger Finger > Treatments

   Rest, Medication, Splint

Home Recovery

Non-operative treatment is often prescribed to heal your trigger finger. Physicians typically recommend a combination of the following treatments:

   Rest – Physicians generally recommend relative rest for as long as necessary to ease your pain, which means decreasing the duration of exercises that strain your hand by over 50 percent and increasing the time between workouts. Try to decrease the amount of time spent working with tools or other objects that strain your hand and finger muscles.

   Ice and elevation – Initially, you should apply ice and elevate your hand above heart level for about 20 minutes every three or four hours. You will probably need to do this for two or three days or until the pain subsides, and you may need to continue to ice for a few weeks after taking part in activities that strain your hand.

   Medication – Oral, over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication like aspirin or ibuprofen is usually effective for easing trigger finger pain.

   Splint – Your physician may prescribe a finger splint that holds your injured finger in extension for seven to 10 days.

   Corticosteroids – If other treatments do not heal your trigger finger, one or two injections of corticosteroids may be given to stop tendon inflammation. However, too many corticosteroid injections may damage your tendon.

It may take up to three months of conservative treatment and physical therapy to heal trigger finger. Patients who cannot ease their trigger finger pain may be candidates for surgery between six weeks and one year after beginning non-operative treatment.

After you rest your finger in the splint for seven to 10 days, your physician may refer you to a physical therapist to begin stretching and range of motion exercises for your fingers. Strengthening exercises usually follow a 10 percent rule, which means you increase the weight and repetitions by no more than 10 percent per week. This helps you avoid straining tendons before they have a chance to heal.

The best way to avoid repeated trigger finger injuries is to make the finger stretching and strengthening exercises you learned in physical therapy part of your typical workout routine. You should generally avoid direct pressure from squeezing tools or sports equipment that have hard, sharp, or small diameter handles. It is important that the tools and sports equipment you use are properly padded and large enough in diameter to fit the natural grip of your palm. Physicians also advise limiting repetitive, forceful hand movements. There are no exercises or warm-ups that will help prevent trigger finger. Your physician may refer you to an athletic trainer who can tape your fingers if you return to activities such as heavy weight lifting or rock climbing.