Healthcare provider’s assessment

Your healthcare provider diagnoses trigger finger by your symptoms and a physical exam.

Your healthcare provider will ask questions about the pain and symptoms you are experiencing and how they impact your day-to-day life. Tell your healthcare provider when you first noticed symptoms, what you felt, what makes it worse, and what makes the symptoms better. Let them know what you have tried to make your symptoms better in the past, like if you have used pain medicine or a splint.

Your healthcare provider will also look at and feel your hands. They are looking for signs of triggering and locking and feeling for any bumps (nodules) under your skin.

Based on what you tell your healthcare provider and what they see and feel, your healthcare provider will discuss what options you have for treatment.

What to watch for

Typical symptoms of trigger finger include a triggering, clicking, or catching sensation when you move your fingers or thumbs. You may also feel pain at the base of the affected finger or thumb.

Trigger finger can happen in more than 1 finger or thumb, and the symptoms can be more severe in 1 finger or thumb compared to another. If trigger finger affects more than 1 of your fingers or thumbs, share all of your symptoms with your healthcare provider.

Watch for and let your healthcare provider know if you have:

• increasing tenderness at the base of your finger, especially if it starts to impact your daily activities
• a finger or thumb that becomes stuck in a bent position (if you cannot straighten your finger or thumb even with the help of your other hand, this is called a locked trigger finger)

Other things to tell your healthcare provider

You are the most important part of your healthcare team. Tell your healthcare provider about the impact that trigger finger is having on the things that are important to you, like your job, hobbies and interests, and relationships.

Making the most of your appointment

If you don’t understand what your healthcare team is telling you, let them know right away. Be open and honest. You might say:

• “It sounded like you said that I should… Did I understand that correctly?”
• “Can you show me a picture or model to help me understand?”

Learn more about working with your healthcare team and making the most of your appointment.