Our fingers are very important in our daily life because they help us to hold and keep everything. But they are never taken for granted unless they are damages so in these times we realize how much they are important for us. One of the most common problems which can happen to small part of our body is trigger finger. Trigger finger is referred to the pain which you may suffer from when your fingers are bent and also there are restrictions to move them [1]. Trigger finger can be caused by many causes. Those people who suffer from gout symptoms or rheumatoid arthritis are having increased chances to develop trigger finger frequently. It is known fact that people who are using their fingers too hard for long periods are most commonly suffering from trigger finger. Older people are suffering more from this condition compared to younger people [2]. This condition can lead to the swollen fingers and in some cases it can lead to painful feeling. When you are having this problem, then this is making more difficult for you to perform even the slightest movements of the fingers. The pain which is caused by trigger finger can come and go within a short time but there are many cases in which it lasts for long periods of time and this is causing many discomforts. You need to talk with your doctor if you have trigger finger before you start using some of the below mentioned home remedies.
Trigger finger treatment
Walnuts: Those people who do not want to eat fish every day can try using walnuts. Walnuts are rich source of Omega – 3 fatty acids. This is one of the best home remedies for trigger finger. The pain which is caused by trigger finger can be treated with walnuts. This natural cure has many other advantages, such as cancer prevention.
Almonds: Almonds are rich in unsaturated fats and Vitamin E. This is reason why you can use almonds as your natural treatment for trigger finger. They can help to prevent inflammation and they can lubricate the joints in the fingers. This will be easier for you to move fingers. Almonds are having considerable amounts of Omega – 3 fatty acids. This is a reason why almonds can work as effectively as fish oil. You can soak almonds in water for hours. Take some almonds and chew them immediately. [3]
Apple: This natural cure can help to prevent the inflammation. It has high amounts of polyphenols which are revealed to cure damaged muscles effectively. Apples have many antioxidant nutrients, such as quercetin which can help to improve the healing process and it can strengthen your physical performance. It is rich source of fiber which means that can reduce the possibility of developing cancer cells in your body. [4]
Evening primrose oil: There are many herbalists who are recommending taking evening primrose oil to alleviate the trigger finger. It is recommended to take two teaspoons of the evening primrose oil on daily basis in a period of several months. It is useful for joint pain and rheumatism but lot more studies should be done in future about this property.[5]
Finger straightening: You should straighten your fingers wide apart and then you should join them in a fist. You should do this ten to fifteen times. You should do this exercise as many times a day as possible.
Apple cider vinegar: The apple cider vinegar is very effective home remedy when it comes to inflammation. This is one of the best home remedies for trigger finger. You can consume it or you can apply it over your skin to get a relief from the swelling and pain.
Home remedies for trigger finger
Oregano oil: If you have tried coconut oil and if it does not work for you, then you can use oregano oil. This is one of the most popular home remedies for trigger finger. You should apply this oil on the painful fingers two to three times each day because this will maximize the benefits.
Cherry: You should increase the consumption of cherries every day because this can help you to escape from the pain in your fingers. It has anti – inflammatory properties which are resulting from the high amount of anthocyanin. This is a very helpful home remedy for trigger finger. [6]
Acupuncture: In the ancient times, Chinese people were inserting needle to cure a problem relating to joints. Nowadays, acupuncture is used as a natural treatment for trigger finger. It can give you immediate effects which can help you to rid of the pain. But you should do the acupuncture with people who are professionals in acupuncture.
Ginger: This is a very common spice in the kitchen and it is one of the best home remedies for trigger finger. It has antioxidant and anti – inflammatory properties. These properties of the ginger can help you to deal with the pain in your fingers. You can add more ginger in your daily cooking or you can rub some ginger slices over the painful areas which are caused by trigger finger. Rub them for few minutes so in this way nutrients will be absorbed through the skin. [7]
Hot compress: Hot compress can help you when the pain caused by trigger finger becomes unbearable. For this home remedy, you need boiling water and cloth. You should dip the cloth into the hot water. You should squeeze the cloth so the excess water is removed. You should place the cloth over the trigger fingers and let it stay there for some minutes. When the cloth becomes warm, then you can replace it with new one. Continue doing this natural treatment until you see improvements in your condition.
Tennis ball squeeze: You should prepare a tennis ball. Hold the ball and then squeeze it hard in the palm of your hand. You should keep it for ten seconds and then relax. You should do this exercise for about ten minutes and you should repeat it five to ten times per day.
Coconut oil: One of the simplest and best home remedies for trigger finger is the coconut oil. You should apply some drops of coconut oil over your painful fingers and you should give them some massage along the fingers. This is a very effective home remedy for the prevention of inflammation and swelling.
Wheatgrass: Wheatgrass has been used for centuries for many different conditions and trigger finger is one of them. It can help you to fight against the inflammation which can happen under the skin. Also the wheatgrass can improve the blood flow and it can make your skin white and glow, whether it is in your fingers or any other part. You can crush wheatgrass to ought the juice of it and do this several times per day. [8]
Pineapple: This is wonderful summer fruit. It is one of the best home remedies for trigger finger. Pineapple has bromelain which can help to reduce the painful feeling. Also it has lot of vitamins and nutrients which can eliminate the dead tissues from the body. When dead tissues are removed, then the swelling is gone. [9]
Fish oil: Fish oil has Omega – 3 fatty acids which are very beneficial for the natural treatment of trigger finger. When Omega – 3 fatty acids are entering in the body, then they can help to cope with tissues damaged by trigger finger. Also the joints are lubricated by Omega – 3 fatty acids. You can add more fish in your diet which is the natural source of Omega – 3 fatty acids. Also you can use the fish oil as a wonderful replacement.
Finger spring: You should try a rubber band around the affected finger. You should include your thumb in this exercise. You should do this exercise fifteen times a day because in this way you will get the best results.
Turmeric: This natural cure has curcumin which is making it one of the best home remedies for trigger finger. This substance can help to treat the inflammation. Also there is another advantage of curcumin which can limit the production of a substance inside the body which is believed that is worsening the pain [10]. You should mix warm water and powdered turmeric to make a thick paste. You should apply this paste over the trigger fingers. You should follow it several times per day because it can help you to rid of the trigger finger very quickly.
Aloe Vera: This is one of the best home remedies which you can use for trigger fingers. It has anti – inflammatory property which can help to deal with the soreness and it can prevent inflamed skin. It has many other nutrients which can ease the pain quickly and they can make the movement easier [11]. You should extract the gel from Aloe Vera. Rub this gel over the painful fingers two to three times on a daily basis. If you cannot find natural Aloe Vera gel, then you should purchase supplements as an alternative way.
References:
[1] Makkouk AH, Oetgen ME, Swigart CR, Dodds SD. Trigger finger: etiology, evaluation, and treatment. Current Reviews in Musculoskeletal Medicine. 2008;1(2):92-96.
[2] Akhtar S, Bradley MJ, Quinton DN, Burke FD. Management and referral for trigger finger/thumb. BMJ. 2005;331(7507):30-33.
[3] Yi M, Fu J, Gao H, et al. The effect of almond consumption on elements of endurance exercise performance in trained athletes. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 2014;11:18.
[4] Boyer J, Liu RH. Apple phytochemicals and their health benefits. Nutrition Journal. 2004;3:5.
[5] Brzeski M, Madhok R, Capell HA. Evening primrose oil in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and side-effects of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. British Journal of Rheumatology. 1991;30(5):370-2.
[6] Kuehl KS, Perrier ET, Elliot DL, Chesnutt JC. Efficacy of tart cherry juice in reducing muscle pain during running: a randomized controlled trial. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 2010;7:17.
[7] Mashhadi NS, Ghiasvand R, Askari G, et al. Anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects of ginger in health and physical activity: Review of current evidence. International Journal of Preventive Medicine. 2013;4(Suppl 1):S36-S42.
[8] Nepali S, Ki HH, Lee JH, et al. Wheatgrass-derived polysaccharide has antiinflammatory, anti-oxidative and anti-apoptotic effects on LPS-induced hepatic injury in mice. Phytotherapy Research. 2017;31(7):1107-16.
[9] Pavan R, Jain S, Shraddha, Kumar A. Properties and therapeutic application of bromelain: A review. Biotechnology Research International. 2012;2012:976203.
[10] Daily JW, Yang M, Park S. Efficacy of turmeric extracts and curcumin for alleviating the symptoms of joint arthritis: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. Journal of Medicinal Food. 2016;19(8):717-29.
[11] Hashemi SA, Madani SA, Abediankenari S. The review on properties of aloe vera in healing of cutaneous wounds. Biomed Research International. 2015.
