Trigger finger is an acute or chronic inflammatory process that spreads to the tendon sheaths. The disease results from frequent injuries, prolonged stress on certain types of muscles, and infectious diseases. It is manifested by severe pain, limitation of motor function, in some cases, it has a latent course. The diagnosis is made based on the results of ultrasound and MRI.
Overview
The strong formations of connective tissue that attach muscle to bone are called tendons. In places most prone to stretching, the tendons are surrounded by a sheath, which is similar in function and structure to the joint’s synovial membrane. The fluid is produced to reduce injury and ease glide.
With the influence of predisposing factors in the cavity (tendon sheath), inflammation appears, which leads to canal stenosis, a decrease in the production of synovial secretions. At the moment of activation of skeletal muscles, friction occurs, manifested by strong painful sensations.
Symptoms
- Ankle ailment
In this case, the tendons themselves look normal, but there is the fluid inside the tissues that surround them. Often, the ankle joint’s inflammation is a consequence of rheumatoid arthritis or mechanical stress on the tendons. In this case, a person suffers from pain in the back, middle, or front of the foot. In some cases, ankle inflammation can manifest itself as unpleasant sensations throughout the foot. As a rule, the pain increases with prolonged standing or, conversely, prolonged walking. In some cases, ankle tenosynovitis occurs due to flat feet. If the pain is very burning, then it has a neurogenic character. In some cases, discomfort in the ankle joint area occurs as a result of pain in the spine.
- Inflammation of the knee joint
If the knee has increased in volume, then see a doctor immediately. This is a sure sign of knee inflammation. This phenomenon is due to the formation of a special fluid in the joint capsule, which increases during the irritation of the synovium. This fluid causes tenosynovitis of the knee joint, as a result of which the free movement of the leg is greatly impeded. As a rule, the pain in the knee joint area is insignificant and has a dull character. If the disease flows into an acute form, then the person begins to experience acute pain;
- Defeat of the long head of the biceps
This disease is also called tenosynovitis of the biceps muscle. Most often, this ailment suffers from swimmers and tennis players, that is, people involved in a sport that requires repeated movements of the arm over their head. Inflammation of the long head of the biceps appears due to overstrain of the biceps muscle, and it is localized in the upper-anterior brachial region. Sometimes this disease spreads to the tendons of the elbow joint;
TREATMENT
For the inflammation of the knee, ankle, wrist (de Quervain’s disease), or the elbow joint not to lead to sad consequences, it is necessary to carry out timely and competent treatment from a trigger finger surgery doctor. The method of trigger finger treatment surgery depends on the type of disease and the place of its localization:
Medications: This treatment involves the use of anti-inflammatory drugs. By weakening the inflammatory process, pharmacological agents lead to decreased edema and a decrease in pain. Remember that self-treatment may not give any results (or even lead to complications);
Physiotherapy: This method is aimed at accelerating the metabolism in the inflamed area. Specialists use the following ways: laser and magnetic therapy, ultrasound and ultraviolet light, electrophoresis. In some cases, therapeutic massage is used;
Puncture of the joint: If chronic tenosynovitis progresses, then specialists choose this method of treatment. The doctor removes excess synovial fluid from the joint and everything that is formed due to inflammation. In some cases, hormonal agents are injected into the affected area to stop inflammatory processes.
Preventive measures are very simple: you need to avoid excessive physical exertion and exercise regularly, and do exercises. When the first symptoms of the disease occur, you should immediately seek help from a trigger finger surgery doctor, which is preventing complications of the disease.
