Thumb Operational Again!

[TyTass]

I haven't been posting much since early December when I injured my thumb doing some yard work. Took a week or so before it got to hurting badly. By Christmas I had so much pain I could barely do anything with my right hand.

 

Ibuprofen, Immobilization, and Ice helped stem the pain, but it just seemed to keep swelling.

 

Went to my GP in Jan and they recommended I see a Hand Specialist. Made the appoint ... soonest I could get in was 1 Mar. A few weeks ago it got to where I couldn't move it at all, couldn't sleep from the pain. Visited an Urgent Care facility and they splinted it and gave me some pain meds. At least I could sleep and the splint was at least protecting me from bumping it.

 

Finally on Wed I got to see the specialist. After the first film being taken (revealed nothing bad) and from my descriptions she diagnosed it as Trigger Thumb. Injured sheath around my main tendons causing pain and impediments to movement. In fact it had gotten so bad I couldn't even make it do the "trigger" or move it at all.

 

One steroid shot and here I am 3 days later with no pain and about 70% ROM already! Yeeeeeehaaaaa!

 

I can type without pain, I can mouse/trackball! I can sleep without pain meds! I'm not living on Ibuprofen anymore! And I'm sure I'll be able to ride again without pain.

 

S-T-E-R-O-I-D S-H-O-T! That's how I spell relief!

[TEWKS]

Now that deserves a big ! Glad you're feeling better Craig, long-term pain sucks.

 

Pat

[MarkAZ]

...

S-T-E-R-O-I-D S-H-O-T! That's how I spell relief!

 

They can sometimes seem like a miracle, for sure. I injured my ankle a while back...same deal, it didn't hurt for a while and then got to be pretty painful after a week or so. Finally made it to the podiatrist who x-rayed it diagnosed it as a sinus tarsi injury. He injected a steroid and before I even got back to my car the swelling was almost gone and no more pain. Amazing. Sometimes the problem will return after a couple months tho, Hopefully yours is gone for good.

[Danny caddyshack Noonan]

Those shots don't seem to work very long for me. On the bright side, trigger finger releases are pretty easy healing and pain-wise.

[Bud]

Better living thru chemistry. Glad to hear you found relief and aren't living in a drug induced haze. Best of luck for a full recovery!

[marcopolo]

Glad you found some relief, Craig. Hope you're back on the bike soon.

[TyTass]

Thanks! Yes, I do realize it may come back and the Dr won't simply continue to give shots. I believe 3 is the max given in an area. I have a follow up scheduled, so we'll see how things go.

 

I'm hoping this will do it for good, but for right now I'm so happy to be pain-free.

[Red]

I had trigger finger in both middle fingers. Was hard to express my true feelings so I decided to have them treated. When I went to the osteo dude, they said I needed carpel tunnel done in both hands as well. The right was worse than the left. I opted for carpel tunnel and surgical treatment of trigger finger in the right hand and injection only in the left. No recurrence of triggers in either hand after 18 months and the carpel tunnel was successful as well. I had resisted the trigger injections as several friends had told me they were extremely painful. I must say, in the hands of an osteo dude there was nearly no pain. I asked him about it. He said, "you gotta know what you're doing". In other words, don't let a GP do the injection. Go to a specialist.

Just as I get all that sorted out, the Arthur Itis is setting in. I may have to get a new ride with shift pro!

[Glenn Reed]

I had trigger finger in both middle fingers. Was hard to express my true feelings so I decided to have them treated.

 

I had the opposite. I tore a ligament in my middle finger and had to have it repaired surgically. After the surgery, they splinted it up and bandaged it, and told me to keep it upright. Well, with the bandage just on that finger, I had a few folks who thought I was "expressing my true feelings" towards them. I had to laugh at the reactions.

 

Oh, and Craig, glad you are feeling better after your treatment!

[TyTass]

Those are some funny stories!

[Red]

If you have carpel tunnel have your trigger finger treated surgically done at the same time you have your carpel tunnel done. Result is very good and cheaper since they already have you on the table. Now if I could just fix this arthur itis.

Edited March 19, 2017 by Red

[TyTass]

I don't believe I have carpal tunnel, but I honestly don't know. I believe this was caused from an injury.

 

Two weeks later, and there is almost no pain (only when I squeeze or bump the tendon with something else), range of motion is about 95%, but I feel like the strength is down around 75-80%. I see the Specialist again in about 10 days, so we'll see what's up then.