Dr. Daniel C. Eby

Does your finger lock in place? Does your finger click or snap when you bend it?

Trigger fingers happen when a structure over your tendon becomes inflamed. The result is a finger that is stuck in place or simply painful to use. If left untreated, the tendon can become damaged or torn.

Causes and Risk Factors

Overuse, age, diabetes, and hypothyroidism are common reasons why patients get trigger fingers.

Symptoms

• Painful opening or closing of the affected finger
• Snapping, clicking, catching of your finger with motion
• Tenderness in the finger or over the nodule

Does your thumb hurt? Is your grip weak? Can you lift a pan or tool without pain in your thumb?

De Quervain’s tenosynovitis occurs when the tissues around your thumb’s tendons become inflamed. The inflammation causes pain in your thumb and wrist and can be the cause of your inability to complete daily tasks that require lifting.

Causes and Risk Factors

The most common cause is repetitive overuse of the thumb and wrist. New parents who have repetitive small tasks like lifting a baby daily may develop this issue.

Is your finger slowly curling forward over the course of the past few months? Is there a thickening or hardening of the skin in your palm? Has it been progressively getting worse? You may have Dupuytren’s disease.

A Dupuytren’s contracture is a tightening of the tissue in your palm called fascia caused by this disease. Over time, the tightening becomes worse and you may notice your fingers curling into your palm.

Causes and Risk Factors

This disorder is seen mostly in patients ages above 40. Other risk factors include those born of northern European ancestry, and those being treated with certain medications for seizure disorders, alcoholism, HIV, and diabetes.