Trigger Finger

Trigger finger is a tendon condition that makes your fingers or thumb hard to move or “lock” flexed in toward your palm. In some cases, your finger or thumb will lock straight, and you won’t be able to bend it in toward your palm.

Trigger finger gets its name from the position your fingers can get stuck in. It looks like you’re trying to pull an invisible trigger. Trigger thumb is the same issue, but in your thumb. Stenosing tenosynovitis is the medical name for trigger finger or trigger thumb.

If you have trigger finger, it can be hard (or impossible) to straighten your affected fingers. Healthcare providers used to think it was most common in your ring finger. But a 2025 study found that it actually affects middle fingers most often.

Trigger finger can affect any of your digits. One in 3 people get it in more than finger at a time.

It can be upsetting to realize you can’t move part of your hand. But it’s treatable. Visit a healthcare provider if you can’t move part of your hand as well as normal.

Trigger finger symptoms

The most common stenosing tenosynovitis symptoms in your fingers or thumb include:

• A snapping or popping feeling when you move them: It might feel like your affected digits are “catching” or getting stuck as they move.
• Pain and stiffness when flexing them in toward your palm: It may be harder than usual to move them. And moving them might hurt.
• Soreness in your palm near the base: This pain is usually worse when you’re gripping, squeezing or holding something.
• Swelling or a tender lump in the palm of your hand: The bump may hurt like a bruise if you touch it. It may also have a slight feeling of warmth.
• Your affected digits locking or sticking in a flexed position: You might need to use your other hand to push them straight again.

Symptoms are usually worse first thing in the morning. This is especially true for stiffness and locked positions. The stiffness will usually get a little better as you start using your fingers and thumb throughout the day.

What causes trigger finger?

Swelling in or around the tendons in your hand causes trigger finger or trigger thumb.

Tendons are bands of tissue that attach muscles to bones. Tendons and muscles in your hands work together to flex and straighten your digits. A tunnel of tissue called a tendon sheath surrounds these tendons. The sheath protects them and keeps them in place.

Trigger finger happens when something irritates the tendons in your affected fingers or thumb. Irritation leads to inflammation and swelling. That makes it so they can’t easily slide through their sheaths. A bump called a nodule may also form on your affected tendon. This can make it even more difficult for the tendon to easily glide through its tendon sheath.

The nodule often catches or gets stuck on a part of your tendon sheath called the A1 pulley. If it’s harder for your tendon to slide through the A1 pulley, your finger will feel stiff or like it’s getting stuck.

Risk factors

Anyone can develop trigger finger. But it’s most common in people between the ages of 40 and 60.

Having a job or hobby that requires you to perform hard, repetitive motions with your hands is a common cause. Examples include:

• Farming or gardening
• Industrial work or working with tools
• Playing an instrument
• Playing racket sports like tennis, racquetball or pickleball

Having certain health conditions can increase your risk, including:

• Osteoarthritis
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Gout
• Diabetes
• Amyloidosis
• Thyroid disease

How doctors diagnose this condition

A healthcare provider will diagnose trigger finger with a physical exam. They’ll examine your hand and fingers and ask about the symptoms you’ve noticed. Tell your provider when you first felt pain or stiffness. Make sure to mention if any activities make the symptoms worse.

Your provider might straighten your fingers or thumb to feel for clicking. This will help them understand how stiff your fingers are and whether your tendons are moving as they should. Tell them if any motion or position hurts.

Usually, providers don’t need any special tests to diagnose trigger finger. But they might use imaging tests like an ultrasound or X-rays to take pictures of the tissue and bones in your hand.

Trigger finger treatment

The best treatment for you depends on which finger has stenosing tenosynovitis and its severity. The most common treatments include:

• Rest: Taking a break from work, hobbies or tasks that caused trigger finger will give your tendons time to heal.
• Wearing a splint: A splint will hold your affected digits in place and help them stretch back to their usual position. Your provider will usually suggest that you only wear a splint at night while you’re sleeping.
• Stretching exercises: Your provider might give you stretching exercises to help your tendons regain their flexibility.
• Anti-inflammatory medication: Over-the-counter NSAIDS like naproxen or ibuprofen relieve pain and reduce swelling. A healthcare provider might also prescribe corticosteroids.
• Steroid injections: You may need cortisone shots or another type of injection. These can help you avoid surgery. But they usually take a few weeks to relieve the symptoms. Your provider may give you another dose if the first or second round of injections doesn’t work.
• Trigger finger surgery: You might need surgery if other treatments don’t help. A surgeon will perform a trigger finger release procedure. Your surgeon will make a tiny cut in the sheath around your affected tendons. This will give them more space to move.

When should I see my healthcare provider?

Visit a healthcare provider if you notice any symptoms of trigger finger. Especially if you can’t move a finger or your thumb as far as usual. Go to the emergency room if you suddenly can’t move or use one of your digits.

Trigger finger won’t heal without treatment. Even if you only need rest or other nonsurgical treatments, a provider needs to examine your hand. They’ll diagnose the cause of your symptoms.

What can I expect if I have this condition?

It can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months before you can use your hand like usual. The symptoms should improve gradually after you start treating them. Your healthcare provider will tell you how long you’ll need each treatment.

If you need surgery, you’ll have to avoid using your fingers or thumb while you heal. Your surgeon will tell you what to expect.