Trigger finger is where a finger or thumb gets stuck in a bent position
It can improve on its own, though sometimes needs treatment
It happens when a tendon inside the finger or thumb becomes thickened
It's more common over 40, and in people with diabetes or rheumatoid arthritis
Symptoms are often worse in the morning and during hand-based activities
About Trigger Finger
Trigger finger is a condition where a finger or thumb gets stuck in a bent position. It can improve on its own, but sometimes needs treatment. The main symptom is the finger or thumb becoming stuck bent, with a clicking or popping sensation as it straightens. Other symptoms can include pain in the finger, thumb, or palm, stiffness in the affected finger or thumb, and needing to apply pressure to straighten it from a bent position. Symptoms are often worse in the morning, and during activities that use the hands, such as preparing food, using tools, or playing sport.
What Causes It
It isn't always clear what causes trigger finger, though it can sometimes follow an injury. It happens when a tendon — connecting muscle to bone — inside the finger or thumb becomes thickened, stopping it moving normally and causing it to become trapped when the finger bends. You may be more likely to develop trigger finger if you're over 40, have diabetes, or have rheumatoid arthritis.
Page last reviewed: 6 March 2024 · Next review due: 6 March 2027
Trigger Finger · Self-Care
Treating Trigger Finger Yourself
? 3 min readReviewed: March 2024
What Can Help
Trigger finger can sometimes improve on its own without treatment. It can help to avoid or cut down on activities that make your symptoms worse until things improve, and take painkillers such as ibuprofen to help with any discomfort.
See a GP if you think you have trigger finger and it isn't improving, or if it's stopping you doing your usual daily activities. In many areas, you may be able to access help such as physiotherapy directly through NHS community musculoskeletal (MSK) services, without needing a GP referral first.
Page last reviewed: 6 March 2024 · Next review due: 6 March 2027
Trigger Finger · Treatment
Treatments for Trigger Finger
? 4 min readReviewed: March 2024
If Symptoms Don't Improve
If your symptoms don't go away on their own, a GP or specialist may recommend further treatment. Depending on your symptoms, this can include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to help with pain, splinting (where the affected finger is strapped to a plastic splint to keep it straight and reduce movement), steroid injections into the finger or thumb to reduce swelling and pain, or surgery to help the finger or thumb move properly — usually only considered if other treatments haven't worked.
Page last reviewed: 6 March 2024 · Next review due: 6 March 2027
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