Trigger-finger!!!

Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

Now it's my turn! It's my right thumb, too.

I've read of this happening to others but now it's a part of my reality.

I've just returned from the orthopedic doctor who gave me a (slightly painful) cortisone shot. She was optimistic, saying it had been caught early and the injection should take care of it.

'Use your thumb, by all means, but don't play guitar for a couple of days..' Right now, my thumb is very fuzzy from the shot.

This was brought sharply into focus this week when I was asked to play a duo set with a friend. I don't use picks on six-string and, with an ailing thumb, my armory was severely depleted! The photo looks okay: it didn't sound quite that good. Smile

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Roger Rettig - Emmons D10s, Quilter TT-12, B-bender Teles and old Martins.
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Tony Palmer · From: St Augustine,FL

Roger I have had fairly severe trigger finger in five of my eight fingers, never the thumbs but have never had the injections. I didn’t have it on all my fingers at the same time thank god, but over a period of about 5-6 years. I’ve tried all kinds of lotions, supplements and other home remedies but nothing helps.
Eventually with rigorous exercise they seem to clear up and go away but I can’t say for sure what, if anything helped me.
The takeaway here is you may very well be getting it in more fingers…sorry
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Doug Beaumier · From: Northampton, MA

Roger, I've had three trigger finger episodes in the past 10 years: a thumb, and finger 1 on both hands. Sometimes the cortisone works, sometimes it doesn't.

The first time, my finger became very painful when it triggered... like a electric shock! The doctor gave me a cortisone shot and it didn't work, so he tried a second shot a few weeks later and that didn't work. So I had the surgery done.

The second episode, the cortisone worked for a month or so and then the triggering came back, so I had surgery on that finger.

Last summer my right thumb started triggering so I had a shot of cortisone, and it didn't do any good for several weeks, but finally my thumb stopped triggering. So far, so good. I was very skeptical when the doctor gave me the shot. But he told me to give it time... several weeks, and he was right.
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Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

Thanks for that, Doug.

Hmm... she said that the shot will 'do the trick', implying that, having caught it early, the cortisone has a better success rate. She also said the surgery-option was way 'down the road'.

I must say that, while the numbness has worn off, the site of the jab is uncomfortable. I was advised to use my thumb, but not rigorously (no speed-picking, I assume?) It was all I could do to fasten my seat belt.

No playing for two days, she said. A long time for me but a respite for my neighbours.

Your experience is somewhat different from her prognosis in my case. Thanks for sharing your findings.
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Roger Rettig - Emmons D10s, Quilter TT-12, B-bender Teles and old Martins.
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Andy Vance · From: Graham, Washington, USA

Roger,
I had trigger finger happen to me after a work related incident. When I went to the surgeon, he suggested that I forcefully massage the tendon just below the knuckle multiple times a day. I did this, to the point of it was really painful but it did end up working for me. His explanation was, the tendon was torn and the body was trying to repair it, forming a nodule, which will get caught in the tendon sheath. By massaging it hard, to the point of pain, the body continues to think there is a problem there and will continue to repair it, if left alone, the body will assume the nodule formation fixed the problem and the module will remain.

I'm not a Dr. but it did work for me without any surgery or any shots.

I hope you can get your issue resolved!

Andy

Gary L Reed · From: Castle Rock, CO

I have had the same problem. Started taking Turmuric Curcumin and Glucosamine Sulfate twice daily. Has made a great improvement in all my joints. Takes awhile to work so don;t give up after a week or two.

Darrell Criswell · From: Maryland, USA

My surgeon said the injection or two almost always works, when I came back in 3 months for another shot, he said you need surgery. In my case the shot worked for a few months.

If you have surgery the percutaneous method would be a lot better. I had the open surgery, my surgeon said he likes to see what he is doing. Some surgeons say the percutaneous procedure works just fine. The recovery from the surgery was simple but was annoying for a couple of weeks.

Bill Ferguson · From: Milton, FL USA

I too have had multiple trigger fingers and thumbs.

After many shots (more than I should have had), I wound up having 3 separate surgeries.
Well no more trigger finger, but the pain never goes away and many nights my hands just throb.

Avoid surgery if at all possible.
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Craig A Davidson · From: Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin USA

Roger I have it in my right pinkie finger. I had one shot that helped for a short time but the pain of the shot keeps me from getting another. To add to the misery I also have severe arthritis in my right thumb. It makes speed picking an almost never.
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Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

It's 24 hours since the injection; I can't say it's cleared up (the trigger part is still there) but the pain has subsided.

She expressly warned against actually playing, but said 'You can use your thumb normally...' (???) The first challenge came when I tried to put on the seat-belt after the appointment. The 'playing' curfew is lifted tomorrow.

I tried to play with just three finger-picks while bracing my bare thumb against the neck! That hasn't gone well. It's a lottery as to which strings I hit.

Craig: That's a relief! I can relax over speed-picking - I have the perfect excuse. Smile

Bill: I will avoid surgery as you advise. It doesn't bear imagining should something go wrong.

I suspect there's also arthritis present; I know I have it everywhere else.

Thanks for all your thoughts.
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Roger Rettig - Emmons D10s, Quilter TT-12, B-bender Teles and old Martins.
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Dan Robinson · From: Colorado, USA

Roger, I hope the injection clear this up for you. I've had more of these than I care to recall, trigger fingers and thumbs, carpal tunnel left and right. The cortisone shots didn't work for me, and just prolonged my trouble. My latest trigger finger release was just 11 days ago. It was a quick procedure under local anesthetic, and I drove myself home.

My hand surgeon is terrific, a great guy, and avid guitar player. My primary doc pointed me in the right direction, saying, "this is where the surgeons go."

Roger Rettig · From: Naples, FL

Thanks, Dan - good story!

The pain has gone but there's still a trace of the 'click' remaining. I find myself nervously using my thumb to play and that, of course, is no good. There's no pain now, anyway.

I've been able to play steel reasonably fluidly. Guitar, though, is harder; I'm used to digging in with my thumb (I never use picks) and I find I'm lacking my usual attack.

I read a survey that found the average wait for symptoms to clear up after cortisone was '8.1 days', so there's still lots of time. I know that, as things are, while it's better than it was, it's far from ideal. I'm not the player I was before this happened, especially on Tele.
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Roger Rettig - Emmons D10s, Quilter TT-12, B-bender Teles and old Martins.
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Dennis Lee · From: Forest Grove, Oregon, USA

They sell these therapeutic gloves that have copper woven into the cloth. Wear these at night while you sleep. The fingers are open. They really do seem to make the hands feel better.

Chris Templeton · From: The Green Mountain State

Buddy told me that he "blew out his thumb" working up the song "Devil's Dream" and was taking glucosamine & chondroitin.
Recently, for a knee injury that had been bothering me for a couple of years, my doctor prescribed Glucosamine & chondroitin .
After two days of taking these, my discomfort/pain was 99% gone, and still is.
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