What
Is Trigger Finger?
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Introduction
Trigger finger is a common disorder of
the hand which causes a painful snapping or locking of
the fingers or thumb. The medical name for this
condition is stenosing tenosynovitis. Stenosing refers
to the narrowing of an opening or passageway in the
body. Tenosynovitis refers to inflammation of the outer
covering of the tendons that bend and extend the fingers
and thumb.
Trigger
finger involves the
pulleys
and tendons in the hand that bend the fingers. The
tendons work like long ropes connecting the muscles of
the forearm with the bones of the fingers and thumb. In
the finger, the pulleys form a tunnel under which the
tendons must glide. These pulleys hold the tendons close
against the bone. The tendons and the tunnel have a
slick lining that allows easy gliding inside the
pulleys.

This resource, Trigger Finger Central, exists to
serve 2 purposes. First, to educate those
suffering from Trigger Finger
and provide them with an easily understood
description of what trigger finger is AND what
can be done about it.
The second purpose of this site is to
introduce sufferers to a new medical
treatment,
System rüdach™, which was
researched & developed by
a team of physicians and pharmacists in
Newport Beach, California.
Used as directed,
System rüdach reduces
underlying, excessive inflammation of
muscles, ligaments and tendons as well as
repair nerve damage. By focusing on actually
treating the root causes of the ailment as
opposed to masking the symptoms the healing
process is accelerated and,
in most cases,
the patient's discomfort is dramatically
alleviated. |
Causes Of Trigger Finger
Normally, the
tendon moves smoothly in and out of its surrounding
sheath as the finger straightens and bends. When
inflamed, the normally thin covering of the sheath may
be thickened to several times its normal size. This
reduces the amount of space through which the tendons
are able to pass.
When
the tendon catches, it produces inflammation and more
swelling. This causes a vicious cycle of triggering,
inflammation, and swelling.

Upon forceful bending of the finger or thumb, the
enlarged portion of the tendon is dragged through the
constricted opening. This motion is often accompanied by
a painful snap, and the finger or thumb may be locked in
a bent position. Straightening the finger or thumb may
require using the non-affected hand to actually pull the
finger back into an extended position, causing another
painful snap as the swollen portion of the tendon passes
back through the sheath.
The exact cause of trigger finger is not always
readily apparent. In many cases, however, this condition
may be the result of repeated strain of this area due to
work or hobby activities. Tasks that require repetitive
grasping or the prolonged use of tools (scissors,
screwdrivers, etc.) which press firmly on the tendon
sheath at the base of the finger or thumb may irritate
the tendons and result in thickening of the tendons
themselves or the tendon sheath. Symptoms of trigger
finger may also be associated with conditions such as
rheumatoid arthritis, gout, or metabolic disorders such
as diabetes that produce changes in connective tissues
and synovium.
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The
physicians who developed CT Cream with
A.C.P. are
proud to have recently had the product
incorporated into the best selling medical
reference, The Prescription For
Nutritional Healing by James F.
Balch, M.D. as a treatment for
inflammation related repetitive stress
injuries.
For details about this publication,
Click Here
to visit its
profile. |
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Relief Of Trigger Finger
The goal of treatment in trigger finger/thumb is to eliminate the
catching or locking and allow full movement of the finger without
discomfort. Swelling around the flexor tendon and tendon sheath must
be reduced to allow smooth gliding of the tendon. The wearing of a
splint or taking anti-inflammatory medication by mouth or an
injection into the area around the tendon may be recommended to
reduce swelling. Treatment may also include changing activities to
reduce swelling.
Another
attractive option for many sufferers, especially those who prefer to
not ingest medication orally or have an aversion to painful
injections, is the application of an appropriate and effective
topical anti-inflammatory. The fact is, until recently effective
topical anti-inflammatory were expensive and inaccessible to end
users without the assistance of a compound pharmacist.
CT Cream with
A.C.P. was specifically designed to reduce inflammation and does so
by taking advantage of well known elements including Arnica,
Choline, Pyridoxine and Vitamin B6. Researched, formulated and
introduced in 1999 by Dr. Ying Lee, CT Cream has proven to be
extremely successful in treating inflammation related ailments such
as epicondylitis, tendonitis, bursitis, carpal tunnel syndrome and
trigger finger.
If rest,
anti-inflammatory medications, and a stretching routine fail to
positively influence your ailment, you may have to consider
surgery, though this form of treatment is rare (fewer than 5 percent
of patients). In such cases, the surgical technique required usually
involves
opening the first pulley so the tendon will glide more freely and
repairing any localized tears. Occasionally, hand therapy is
required after surgery to regain better use.
Risk Factors/Prevention
It isn't usually known what causes
the problem. Trigger fingers are more common in women than men. They
occur most frequently in people who are between the ages of 40 to 60
years. Trigger fingers are more common in people with certain
medical problems such as diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis.

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