trigger finger

[Al Russo]

hey..i'm sorry if this post doesn't belong here, but i don't know where else to post it. The topic of the day is "Trigger finger". I have apparently developed this malady in my left hand ring finger. The finger gets stuck in a closed position. I have to open it w/my right hand. The finger then snaps open. I was wondering if any here have experienced this phenomenon. If any have, i'd appreciate any and all advice. I've done some research and have found that cortisone injection, heat and or cold, and surgery are the apparent treatments....

 

[Don]

The drummer in my band just had surgery for this on both hands on Wednesday. He feels great! We'll rehearse next week! He'll play tennis before that!

It was arthroscopic and not very invasive. He put it off and lived with pain because we had gigs going on and coming up. Turns out there was no need to wait!

 

[Shooby]

I got the cortisone shot which hurt like hell (big needle) but it worked for me...that was a couple of years ago and no relapse

 

[D'Mule]

Likely a repetitive stress injury to the flexor tendon. Often you can find a nodule (swelling) in your palm near the base of that finger.

Cortisone injection can be very helpful to allow for healing. If not, a hand surgeon is probably needed.

If your finger ever gets 'stuck' in a flexed position, and you can't massage it open with your other hand, then go to the ER.

 

[coleman]

Last year I had about the same problem in my left thumb. Both of my thumbs are double jointed but don't know if that was an issue with the problem. I believe mine was the results of chopping wood with a go-devil. I heat with wood so not using it wasn't an option. I'd be playing and my thumb would lock up. That spring I was unrolling a drop cord and the sucker bound up worse than ever. I pulled it really hard and it snapped out and "knock wood" (sorry) the problem hasn't reoccured this winter. Just wondering if you may have had a similar type of trauma that would have caused your problem? I know with me it has a lot to do with old age. Only thing that can be said about that is "it sucks!"

 

[Al Russo]

hey guys, thanx for the response...no trauma here...i've been going through a few things w/my hands..1st off a couple of years ago i started w/pain in the base of both thumbs...i was diagnosed w/basal joint arthritis..i've been taking glucosamine/chondroitin. It has helped enormously...Now i have the problem with the left hand ring finger...it locks up especially during the night. I'll check w/a hand specialist and see what they say. I'm no Jeff Beck, but i do enjoy learning and playing this difficult instrument known as the guitar. These issues make it extremely hard to do. As for age. I'm 53...i started playing a little later than most. i started around 33 years old. Again..thanx for the responses...

 

[Al Russo]

Likely a repetitive stress injury to the flexor tendon. Often you can find a nodule (swelling) in your palm near the base of that finger.

Cortisone injection can be very helpful to allow for healing. If not, a hand surgeon is probably needed.

If your finger ever gets 'stuck' in a flexed position, and you can't massage it open with your other hand, then go to the ER.

no nudule but the base of my hand at the ring finger is tender to the touch...Its a weird thing to look at your hand and see one finger locked up and u can't "will" it open...I have to take the other hand and pry it open...

 

[Rev.WillieVK]

I've had it in the index and middle fingers of both hands. I've had the cortizone/'cain mix injections ~3 times over the years and it eventually went away. I still have a trace of it in one finger but it rarely shows or bothers me.

:salude

 

[Doc Sausage]

Wow, interesting topic. In the middle of the night last night my left (fretting) hand pinky finger started "hitching" at the middle joint. I wrote it off as too much New Year's Eve / dehydration / inflammation and drank more WATER today. seems to be better. But certainly a concern for a geeter player.

 

[CraigP]

I too had the problem in my left thumb. The doctor recommended we try the cortisone shot. It is a very painful shot but after a week I saw a great improvement. It's been a month since the shot now and I would say it's almost healed. The shot was well worth it but it does hurt like hell when getting it. The doctor said if the shot is not effective then surgery was the only other option.

 

[coleman]

What might be taken as some ray hope for all of us. A friend of mine who I played drums with back in the early '70's is probably one of the best guitarist I've ever been personally involved with. We're both in out late 50's now. I got back with him to do some recordings about two years ago and we've played together on stage since several times. Granted the guy is a guitar genius at least in my book. But he has rumatoid arthritus in his hands so bad it looks like he pissed off a god-father and he broke both of his hands....repeatedly. He is on medication. Though I can't say what he'd of been with out this affliction I can say I'd set with him in ANY band ANY where in the world. He just plays through the pain. Personally at my age I hurt from the time I get up until the time I go to bed. The only time I don't hurt is when I'm playing music. Got to be something to that.

 

[RnB]

The topic of the day is "Trigger finger". I have apparently developed this malady in my left hand ring finger. The finger gets stuck in a closed position. I have to open it w/my right hand. The finger then snaps open. I was wondering if any here have experienced this phenomenon. If any have, i'd appreciate any and all advice. I've done some research and have found that cortisone injection, heat and or cold, and surgery are the apparent treatments....

A friend of mine had it in the index finger of his chording hand. Playing Pro for 45 years tooks it's toll. He eventually had it operated on & got it somewhat fixed. While always playing 11's, he's now gone to 9's for ease of playability.
You could contact him & gets some input? KBR

When I got back into playing again in '94, I got hit w/ CTS in my left hand. I suffered for years afterwards until I finally broke down & had the operation to fix it...best thing. Has not bothered me since! :jim

 

[Al Russo]

A friend of mine had it in the index finger of his chording hand. Playing Pro for 45 years tooks it's toll. He eventually had it operated on & got it somewhat fixed. While always playing 11's, he's now gone to 9's for ease of playability.
You could contact him & gets some input? KBR

When I got back into playing again in '94, I got hit w/ CTS in my left hand. I suffered for years afterwards until I finally broke down & had the operation to fix it...best thing. Has not bothered me since! :jim

i'll get in touch w/him, thanx...oh...CTS?...

 

[RnB]

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome ...