Trigger Finger Surgery

[stringsattached]

Unfortunately I need surgery on my ring finger of my left (fretting) hand.
Has anybody been through this procedure, and if so how long were you unable to play and did your dexterity come back 100%?
Nervous

[sunburst]

...or has anyone had any successful therapy other than surgery? I have a finger that triggers a little bit, sometimes, and I'd sure like to know there's something to do other than surgery if the finger gets worse

[UncleNorm]

Yes, surgery on first fingers on both hands, 4 or 5 years apart, 100 % success, 3 or 4 weeks recovery. Had cortizone injections first...didn't last but helped.

[Ivan Kelsall]

I had the op.on my left hand thumb & ring finger about 8 years ago. It was 100% successful but it took me 3 months to get my hand back to 95 % use & then a couple more to get back to 100%.
Have you asked or tried the steroid injection procedure ?. This is approx.65% successful after one injection & 85% successful in those folk who need 2 injections (the max.that you can have).
I have trigger finger in my left hand middle finger now, but i've been using a stroid gel.to rub into the triggering area which has helped take the pain away & relieved the triggering to a degree.I think that the steroid procedure would work for me & my Doc.has that 'up his sleeve' if it does get really bad again.
If you do have the op.,my best wishes, & as painful as it 'can' be during any physio.,you'll come through ok,believe me - the op.is 100% effective 'eventually',& as with all else,it takes time,
Saska

[UsuallyPickin]

Yep cortisone first, lasts about 6 or so months. Finally surgery. all ended well . Cortisone shots in your hand HURT! Surgery takes time to recover from. But I did recover. R/

[dj coffey]

I had trigger finger in the thumb of my fretting hand. This was back when I first began playing the mandolin. I stopped playing for a while, then consciously worked at reducing the amount of tension in my left hand grip.

It went away and I haven't had problems since (crossing non-triggered fingers).

Good luck to you.

[sunburst]

(crossing non-triggered fingers).

You can still cross your fingers?!
Ah...youth...

[Greenmando]

I drilled my left index with a #7 drill bit back in 1986. They repaired the nerves and tendon. I have little use of it. No bar chords for me anymore.

[Dan Johnson]

Ouch! I did cut the tendon in my left index finger... And it took a month of solid physical therapy to get back... Good luck!

[Ivan Kelsall]

I have a couple of friends,both musicians, who had the cortisone treatment & have had no recurrence of 'trigger finger' in years. It's the usual instance of what works for one,doesn't always work for another,
Saska

[LaVonne]

I've had the surgery on both thumbs. My right hand was the easiest recovery. I was able to hold a pick as soon as the stitches were removed. My left thumb took a little longer but I could play gently after a week. I did have an anti inflammatory injection on my left thumb before the surgery. I had to try it because my HMO insisted. It helped for the first 4 or 5 weeks but the symptoms came back with a vengeance. My recovery was 100 percent. Also I was fortunate to have access to a very good hand surgeon. Good luck.

[re simmers]

I had torn ligaments in my right thumb repaired in 2002. I could barely hold a pick prior to surgery. A local surgeon in Hagerstown, MD had me convinced to have the joint "fused." I went to the Curtis Hand Center at Union Memorial in Baltimore, MD for a 2nd opinion. I saw a surgeon who specialized in "musician's hands." He, and 2 other surgeons, a "fellow in residency" and a therapist concluded that a "fusion" would have taken 3mm off my thumb and frozen the joint forever. They would only recommend a fusion as an option to amputation. It would have severely hindered my playing. Needless to say, I had the "ligament reattachment" surgery done at the Curtis Hand Center. It was a difficult recovery, but I did my first show 4 months after surgery. I can't play like Sam Bush, but I'm 100%.

My recommendation: get a second opinion from a very good hand surgeon.

[Ivan Kelsall]

I'd go for another op.on my left hand as a last resort,purely because of the amount of 'down time' in my being able to play.If my left hand 'goes bad' again,it's the steroid injection first off & if that fails,then an op.. My previous op.has been 100 %,but the recovery physio.was painful,
Saska