ANYONE HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH TRIGGER FINGER?

[mcs]

Age 60 but look in my late 40s early 50s. Avid lifter. Eat clean, all organic, no drugs, booze.

Trigger finger (aka stenosing tenosynovitis) started early last year mostly in right middle finger. Kept lifting despite chronic clicking/stiffness in morning but no pain. Got a cortisone injection March of last year, better for a couple days, then wore off quick. Worse over time until these last few months when it stopped clicking and I could no longer make a fist and the pain set in. Then got even worse when the gym closed and I was no longer lifting. How the hell can it get worse when I stopped gripping?

Finally went in for a percutaneous needle release surgery (no stitches) late last week. Still rehabbing, soreness and swelling is to be expected but I still am unable to make a fist, as my middle finger just won't go down, too much swelling and pain.

I ask myself how the hell this happened? There are lifters that go on for years with no problems like this (although they frequently get other joint issues). It makes me think there's someting else going on.

I felt no pain when lifting and gripping bars, although I have had and continue to have issues with elbow and shoulder tendinosis. Hypothyroidism and diabetes can sometimes contribute to the cause of TF, but I am on thyroid replacement and not diabetic.

Am concerned I will not get back my finger range of motion or grip strength back even with surgery.

Any and all advice appreciated.

 

[Nelson Vergel]

I had it in two fingers in each hand. Had trigger finger surgery and it resolved it.

 

[mcs]

I had it in two fingers in each hand. Had trigger finger surgery and it resolved it.

What do you think caused it? What were your symptoms before surgery and how was your recovery?

 

[Nelson Vergel]

Age and typing too much. Fast recovery of two to three days.
Before surgery they may want to inject corticoid steroids first to see if that works. It’s only a temporary fix.

 

[mcs]

Age and typing too much. Fast recovery of two to three days.
Before surgery they may want to inject corticoid steroids first to see if that works. It’s only a temporary fix.

Yes, already did the shot a year back. Steroids degrade tendons so don't really want to do it again. I am day 4 post op and cannot fully constrict or extend yet without pain and stiffness. This was the case pre op as well. Can't tell if it's scar tissue that built up over time or inflamed tendon or something else.

 

[Nelson Vergel]

Here is a video explaining the procedure:

 

[D0UG]

I have developed trigger finger on all but the little fingers on both hands within a month of each other. I had prostate cancer last year and my T is about 20 (yes, twenty) so I thought the low T may be causing my hand problems but I find not medical data supporting that theory. I know that they hurt like hell. I cannot even open a water bottle. I've had this problem for at least 6 months.

 

[Gman86]

Not sure if it has been mentioned here or not yet, but while researching P5P to lower prolactin, it seems like P5P is a common fix for trigger figure

 

[Nelson Vergel]

I had trigger finger twice in the past. A small injection of corticoid steroid into the tendon cured it.

 

[D0UG]

I recently read that vitamin B6 could possibly provide relief but it wasn't clear how. So does my extremely low T cause prolactin to be elevated?

 

[D0UG]

I had trigger finger twice in the past. A small injection of corticoid steroid into the tendon cured it.

I had trigger trigger about 8 years ago in one finger and the cortisone shot provided relief for about 2 years. I was amazed. After that, it seldom returned. But this is different. This is 3 fingers on both hands (6 total) that all flared up within a few weeks of each other. This just doesn't sound like a repetitive action cause. My orthopedic surgeon (hand specialist) did give me a cortisone shot in the spring in one of the fingers but it made no difference at all this time.

 

[Nelson Vergel]

I would take ibuprofen 800 mg per day and wear something like this at night

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www.alimed.com

 

[Gman86]

I recently read that vitamin B6 could possibly provide relief but it wasn't clear how. So does my extremely low T cause prolactin to be elevated?

Here’s a video where the guy seemed to just about cute his trigger finger issue with P5P

Not sure about low T and prolactin. Just learned recently that prolactin is a metabolite of E2, not testosterone, so for prolactin to be elevated, I would think e2 would have to be elevated as well, or possibly a pituitary tumor if prolactin is extremely elevated

So apparently E2 can stimulate prolactin production, but prolactin doesn’t come from E2. I asked Cataceous what could be some reasons for high prolactin. I’ll post a pic of what he said

 

[D0UG]

I would take ibuprofen 800 mg per day and wear something like this at night

I had heart bypass surgery 14 months ago so my doctors strongly discourage NSAID drugs. Otherwise, ibuprofen always worked well for me.