Trigger Finger

Trigger finger, or stenosing tenosynovitis, affects the pulleys and tendons in the hand that bend the fingers. Like long ropes, the tendons connect the forearm muscles with the finger bones. Inside the finger, there are the pulleys – a series of rings that form a tunnel where the tendons glide through. The pulleys work to hold the tendons close against the bone. With a slick lining, the tendons and the tunnel allow the tendons to easily glide through the pulleys.

Trigger finger results when the pulley at the base of the finger gets too thick and constricts the tendon, making it hard for the tendon to glide through the pulley. In some cases, the lining becomes swollen or the tendon develops a knot. With the resistance on the tendon, the patient feels pain, popping or a constricted feeling in the fingers.

Dr. Morse performs surgical and non-surgical procedures to treat trigger finger. You may need an anti inflammatory medication or a steroid injection around the tendon. If surgery is recommended, the doctor would open the pulley at the finger base.