The finger on the hand cannot straighten: causes, possible diseases, treatment methods, reviews

In old age, problems with loss of joint mobility in the fingers are quite common. However, young people often encounter a similar pathology. If a finger does not straighten, this greatly affects a person’s quality of life. When the syndrome is accompanied by pain, it becomes impossible to pick up even a light object. To fully treat the problem, it is necessary to identify the factor that provoked the pathological process and carry out appropriate therapy.

Distinctive signs of the disease

The distinctive features of the pathology are the following:

Intense pain syndrome.
Joint deformity.
Swelling and change in skin tone in the affected area.
Deterioration or complete loss of finger mobility.

Another common pathology that leads to loss of mobility of the finger joint is vibration disease syndrome. It affects workers in vibration-related professions, such as drivers, drillers, stone cutters, etc.

Modern young people often find themselves with carpal tunnel syndrome. The little finger on the right hand is most susceptible to this disease. The appearance of the pathology is explained by the incorrect position of the hand when working at the computer.

Often the reason why a finger cannot straighten is a broken finger. If treated incorrectly, fingers lose mobility. The index finger on the right hand is most often broken.

It is for this reason that sometimes a child’s finger cannot straighten.

There are also a number of pathological conditions in which the ability to straighten the phalanges of the fingers is lost. The most common cases in medical practice are described below.

Reason above

Numbness is often misleading, and a person begins to look for the cause directly in the hand or fingers itself. But in fact, the problem is much higher and further - in the neck area. When the vertebrae are displaced, the muscles and soft tissues of the neck are strained, which occurs only after skull injuries, the nerve trunks from the cervical spinal nerves that go towards the arm are compressed. People often note that they have numbness in one finger, or part of it, or the back of the hand, or, conversely, the palmar surface. This is due to which nerve root, which part of it, is pinched.

Article on the topic Wedge in the neck. Why osteochondrosis is insidious Imagine: there is a thick telephone cable, and for some reason this cable is damaged. Some of the wires that run through it are crossed. Thus, the subscribers to whom these wires went were cut off. In the human body, it is not a transection that occurs, but a compression, but the meaning remains the same: the localization of numbness is associated with the affected part of the nerve.

The situation is aggravated if there was a local injury - for example, a dislocated wrist. Working with a monotonous load increases muscle tension, and therefore numbness.

Numbness in the hands must be treated by relieving muscle spasms. The main methods are stretching and warming. These are the procedures that we must perform regularly to keep ourselves in good shape - sports, stretching, baths and saunas. The main therapeutic factor that influences the very nature of this disease is the osteopathic effect. It happens that there are patients with 20 years of experience of numbness in their hands. They wake up at night from pain, they can turn to specialists, but the situation does not change. This is due to the fact that they are trying to fight using the wrong methods. After 3 sessions of osteopathic treatment, the numbness in her hands completely disappeared. This once again proves that it is the previous injuries that caused the displacement of the bones of the skull and spine that are the reason that subsequently leads to numbness of the hands.

We stretch our neck. How to relieve muscle tension Read more

Arthritis as a reason why the finger cannot straighten

In addition to inflammation of the joints, this disease is also accompanied by a decrease in their mobility. This leads to the fact that the fingers do not straighten in the morning. Pathology does not occur independently, but is a complication of another disease. With arthritis, symptoms such as increased pain with changes in weather conditions, cracking in the joints, weakness of the hand muscles and inflammation are observed.

Reasons for fingers not bending

Stenosing tenosynovitis . The disease is a common problem with finger movement, especially when the thumb does not bend. The disorder is technically described as having a “finger on the trigger.” Stenotic means narrowing of the tunnel or tubular structure (tendon sheath). Tenosynovitis is the name given to inflammation of the tendon.
Tendinitis . Tendon swelling is a result of a person's own tendency for fluid to collect around tendons and joints. This may be aggravated by repetitive movements or strenuous activities. In this case, the bend of the fingers (flexor tendon) becomes irritated, causing pain, swelling and stiffness.
Hammer finger . This is a disease in which the terminal joint of the finger does not straighten, which is caused by damage to the tendon. Occurs as a result of a hard blow. In most cases, treatment requires constant wearing of splints for 6-8 weeks.
Deformation like a boutonniere . It occurs as a result of injury to the tendon in the middle joint of the finger. If the injury is not treated promptly, the deformity progresses and becomes permanent. With this disorder, most often the middle finger of the hand does not bend.
Arthrosis and types of arthritis . These diseases weaken the flexor tendons and are not due to injury. The disorder occurs due to pathologies of the cartilage tissue of the surfaces of the joints. A person simply notices that his fingers bend poorly.

Symptoms

Symptoms accompanying the condition when the fingers cannot bend:

pain in the area of the inflamed tendon;
inability to bend one or more joints at once;
the finger does not bend;
numbness at the tip of the finger;
redness and swelling in the joints of the fingers or palm;
the finger is pulsating;
discomfort in the area where the fingers attach to the palm;
It hurts to clench your hand into a fist.

When symptoms continue for several months without treatment, it can lead to finger stiffness and loss of normal flexion function.

Diagnosis of this pathology

If your finger – middle, index or thumb – cannot straighten, and pain occurs, you should seek help from a doctor. Since identifying the cause of the pathology can be difficult, it is necessary to start the examination with a therapist. The specialist collects anamnesis, prescribes an examination and refers the patient to more highly qualified doctors. These may be the following specialists:

A rheumatologist helps diagnose diseases associated with connective tissue disorders.
A neurologist identifies pinched nerve endings.
The surgeon will help if you suspect the need for surgery.

Based on the collected medical history, the doctor characterizes the pathological process and prescribes additional examination:

Ultrasonography. Allows you to determine the presence of joint deformation.
X-ray examination. Makes it possible to obtain an image of the affected joint in three projections.
CT scan. Shows any changes in the tissues of the diseased joint.
Magnetic resonance imaging. This is the most reliable and informative method for diagnosing joint problems.
Electrospondylography. Makes it possible to identify functional problems of the affected finger.
Intra-articular puncture. This manipulation is prescribed when it is necessary to eliminate accumulated fluid, as well as to administer drugs to the affected area.
Skin biopsy. Used to make a differential diagnosis.

If the thumb does not straighten, blood and urine tests are also prescribed. After the diagnosis has been clarified, appropriate treatment is prescribed based on the examination results.

So, if a finger on your hand cannot straighten, what should you do?

Snap finger

Signs

A characteristic symptom of this disease is pain at the base of the affected finger.
It hurts when pressing or performing small movements. Often a swelling forms over the sore spot. At this stage, you can already feel the compaction in the tendon on the palm at the base of the finger. After some time, the pain begins to bother you not only with movement and pressure, but also at rest. When bending and, especially, when extending, the sufferer feels some kind of interference. To perform an action, you need to exert more and more effort. Often patients feel a click in the area of the last joint, after which the finger is fixed in a bent position.

And then there comes a period when it becomes impossible to bring the finger into an extended or bent position.

Description

The snapping finger was first described by A. Nott, after whom this disease is named. In 1850, he published the article “Research on a peculiar disease of the tendon sheaths of the hand, characterized by the development of nodularity of the tendon canal of the flexors of the fingers and an obstacle to their movement.” And the first operation to get rid of this disease was performed by Schönborn in 1887. The operation was successful, but what was much more important was that during this operation the doctors had the opportunity to figure out what was really happening in the fingers with Knott's disease.

Stenosing tenosynovitis is a compressive inflammation of the tendon sheath. A tendon is a cord of fibrous tissue that attaches a muscle to a bone. They are surrounded by a protective sheath - the tendon sheath. It prevents friction when the flexor and extensor tendons slide. The tendons of the finger flexor muscles exit through the carpal tunnel into the palm, and from there diverge to the fingers. Moreover, only one flexor tendon goes to the first finger, and two to the rest. And to fix the flexor tendons and prevent the extension of the fingers, there are annular ligaments. As a rule, compressive inflammation occurs in the area of the annular ligament. It develops when the ligaments are overloaded or under constant pressure on them.

With inflammation, not only does the annular ligament narrow, but part of the tendon also thickens. It is when this thickened part is squeezed through the narrowed ligament that the click occurs. And after some time, the thickened part cannot pass through the ligament and gets stuck in front of it.

This is an occupational disease that occurs mainly in young people whose work requires a lot of stress on their fingers. At risk are electric welders, polishers, cutters, stampers, trimmers and masons, as well as representatives of other professions in which chronic trauma to the hands occurs. Any job that involves constant grasping or something that puts pressure on the palm in the annular ligament area can cause trigger finger.

It happens that trigger finger develops in children. This occurs because the tendon is too thick and cannot slide normally in the tendon sheath.

Diagnostics

To make a diagnosis, an examination of the patient, medical history and an x-ray of the hand are required.

The trigger finger must be differentiated from arthritis and arthrosis. In contrast to this disease, those suffering from arthritis and arthrosis do not develop a lump in the palm at the base of the finger. X-rays of the hand for these diseases will also differ. However, often the trigger finger develops against the background of arthritis and arthrosis, and then the diagnosis becomes more complicated.

Also, this disease must be differentiated from various injuries and Dupuytren’s contracture. Symptoms of this disease can also appear in diseases associated with metabolic disorders, for example, diabetes or gout.

Treatment

Treatment for trigger finger can be conservative or surgical. Conservative treatment consists of eliminating the cause of the disease, immobilizing the finger, and physiotherapeutic procedures. Anti-inflammatory drugs are also prescribed.

Conservative treatment can take a long time, but it does not always lead to a cure. And if it doesn’t help, the finger is still motionless and hurts, then surgery is performed. During the operation, the annular ligament of the fingers is cut. After discharge from the hospital after surgery, the patient should exercise his fingers, but not overload them. This must be done to avoid contractures and fusion of the tendons of the fingers. After the operation, the patient is unable to work for approximately 3 weeks. However, the success of the operation can only be judged after a year.

Prevention

Prevention of trigger finger involves preventing injury and maintaining good industrial hygiene. And the last one is very important. There are cases where workers developed trigger finger because they violated work rules, for example, cutting 8 or more layers of fabric instead of 5. The disease develops very quickly, so at the first symptoms that arise in the hand when changing the type of activity or work procedure, you need to contact an orthopedist.

Drug treatment for this disease

It is important to establish the cause of this phenomenon, since treatment will be aimed at eliminating it. As a rule, complex therapy is used, also aimed at alleviating the patient’s condition.

To relieve pain, various non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed, such as Indomethacin, Ibuprofen, Diclogen, Otrofen and others.

If the inflammation is severe and cannot be relieved by conventional means, the doctor may decide to use corticosteroid-based medications. This could be Prednisolone or Diprospan. In some cases, novocaine may be administered.

All of the medications listed are aimed at relieving symptoms. They eliminate pain and stop the inflammatory process, increase mobility. However, these drugs are not the basis of the therapeutic regimen and are used as additional agents.

Cottage cheese, non-steroids, electrophoresis

When the index finger hurts on the bend, treatment has three goals: restore the functionality of the hand, eliminate pain, and cure the root cause disease.

Drug treatment involves the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that provide pain relief. Unfortunately, they have a risk of side effects in the form of gastrointestinal disorders. For rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases, the doctor prescribes glucocorticosteroid hormones. They quickly relieve pain and provide a powerful anti-inflammatory effect. The specialist will also advise using ointments with anesthetic and anti-inflammatory ingredients.

Among the physiotherapeutic techniques, you can resort to magnetic therapy, electrosleep, electrophoresis with novocaine.

In order for the blood flow to normalize, the muscles to warm up, and the ligaments to strengthen, you should perform basic gymnastics: bend and straighten your palms.

Pregnant women need to include more cottage cheese and dairy products in their diet to compensate for calcium deficiency. Everyone, without exception, is advised to avoid smoked meats, baked goods and excessively salty foods. To optimize fat metabolism, your doctor may recommend flaxseed oil or fish oil.

If your finger hurts when you bend it, it will be useful to go to a sanatorium with hydrogen sulfide and radon springs - naturally, after consulting a doctor.

Physiotherapeutic methods of treating pathology

The main goal of physiotherapy in case of loss of finger mobility is to improve the blood supply to the affected limb, as well as warming up to reduce the intensity of the pain syndrome. The prescribed procedures help relieve swelling and inflammation, speed up the recovery process in cartilage tissues. The most common physical therapy methods for treating joints are:

Laser therapy.
Electrophoresis.
Magnetotherapy.
Wax or paraffin baths.
Physiotherapy.
Massage.

During the rehabilitation period, you should constantly change the treatment method or use several procedures. This will avoid the body becoming addicted and increase the effectiveness of treatment.

Therapeutic massage is one of the first places in the rehabilitation program. It is better to leave the procedure to a specialist, but the patient himself can massage up to three times a day.

Electrophoresis is carried out using various drugs. This physiotherapy helps to normalize connective tissues, which is especially important for arthrosis. The impact occurs electrically and thermally.

If the finger can be bent but cannot be straightened, special therapeutic exercises are used, the purpose of which is to increase joint mobility. Before doing gymnastics, you can soak your fingers in warm water.

If you have joint problems, you should pay special attention to nutrition. It should be enriched with vitamin B6, which is found in fish, nuts and garlic.

Treatment

If your fingers cannot bend, then it is preferable to use non-surgical treatment methods to rehabilitate tendon disorders:

Avoid physical activity on irritated tendons for 2-3 weeks;
apply ice to a finger that does not bend for up to 15 minutes;
use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as naprosyn, aspirin, ketoprofen;
steroid injections into the area around the tendon. The injection places a small amount of cortisone in the area of inflammation. This reduces swelling and can get rid of the problem forever. Success rates are 60% in most cases. However, you should not use more than two injections in one finger, because this can lead to tendon rupture;
If your fingers are difficult to bend and fix, and also painful to straighten, it is useful to use a splint. It is installed on the middle phalanx of the finger and keeps the ends of the tendon from separating.

Rules to follow

Experts recommend preventing joint diseases and trying to avoid injuries and sprains. For this purpose, doctors advise adhering to the following rules:

Promptly treat any infectious lesions of the body.
If you notice cold symptoms, stay in bed.
Temper the body to increase endurance to negative environmental influences.
Enrich your diet with foods high in calcium.
Do not overcool your extremities.

Don't press the joystick

When you work on the keyboard, play computer games, sew on a sewing machine, or give other similar work to your hands, take a break of 10-15 minutes every hour. While on vacation, you should not type messages on your phone! It’s better to do finger exercises or just give your hands a rest.

To prevent carpal tunnel syndrome, you need to press less intensely on the joystick or computer mouse. Then there will be no aching in the area of the thumb caused by frequent repetition of the same type of movements. You also need to get rid of the habit of snapping your fingers.

Control your body weight, do not gain extra pounds. Reduce the amount of spicy and canned food in your diet, and instead eat more fresh vegetables and fruits. Avoid alcohol and tobacco.

Don't overcool your hands. If you catch ARVI or another infectious disease, try to cure it as soon as possible. Neglected diseases often provoke complications, including joint ones.

Comprehensive treatment in clinics of the “Hello!” network are carried out by doctors in such specialized fields as traumatology and orthopedics, manual therapy and osteopathy, neurology and therapy, physiotherapy and reflexology, as well as specialists from other medical professions in demand among the population.

Reviews

As for reviews of treatment, for the most part on the Internet there are responses from those whose finger immobility was caused by injuries. In this case, treatment consisted of applying a plaster cast or elastic bandage. During the rehabilitation period, such patients underwent physical procedures and performed special exercises. In most cases, finger mobility was successfully restored after injury.

Patients who cannot straighten their finger due to irreversible joint changes undergo more serious treatment. They are prescribed several medications, as well as gymnastics, massage and physiotherapy. However, not in all cases therapy provides a 100% recovery. Many are on lifelong treatment, regularly taking courses of various medications and undergoing preventive examinations.

We looked at why the fingers do not straighten.

Useful video

A fragment of a popular program talks about the problem of stiff fingers:

Do not forget that stiff fingers can only be cured with complex therapy . Plant-based preparations complement the main treatment with physiotherapeutic methods and medications.

Self-medication is excluded - if done incorrectly, limb amputation and fiber atrophy are possible.

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