Pain In Your Index Finger--Is It Broken

Do you have pain in your index (first or pointer) finger?  I did. 

I couldn't figure out quite what I did but I was pretty sure it must have been dislocated.  It wasn't swelling so I knew it wasn't broken but it hurt to move.  It hurt to use it or even to apply a tiny bit of pressure.

I massaged the finger.  I pulled on it.  I massaged some more.

But the pain stayed.

Well, did I ever mention that I LOVE

trigger point charts?  I'll bet I did.  

And did I ever mention that bodies are logical?  That's why I love them, too. 

Trigger points are a common cause of muscle and soft tissue pain.  Trigger points are very irritable areas of (usually) muscle that "fire" or cause pain somewhere else. 

My trigger point chart said the trigger point that was causing my index finger discomfort was in the web of my thumb (on the hand side).

The exact location will be below (toward the wrist) the joint where your first finger joins your palm.  If you slide the thumb of your opposite hand over the joint, you may be able to feel a bone. 

Start pressing into that bone.  Is it tender?  If no, try a little more pressure.  If yes, keep pressing for 12 seconds each time, along that length of bone.

After just a few minutes of pressing into this area--which will be tender--my "dislocated" finger didn't hurt anymore!

So you try it.  And afterward, check out your finger again.  All better?  Good job!  You got rid of the trigger point that was causing pain in your pointer finger.

Comments

[rosie]

wow, I enjoy trigger point treatment but do not know where the trigger points are. Can you tell me a possible trigger point for pain on the outside bone in the elbow?
This site is soooo hopeful and helpful

[Kathryn Merrow - The Pain Relief Coach]

Hi Rosie,

Thank you for your comment and question. If you have your palms facing forward, is the pain on the side closer to your waist or on the same side as your thumb?

There are large thick muscles on the thumb side of your lower arm near your elbow. Search those muscles--press into them--and see if anything is tender. They are really thick and one is under another. That's a good starting point for elbow pain.

I hope this helps!

My intention is to offer both hope and help--thank you for noticing!

Kathryn

[Cindy in Nashville]

WOW - I don't believe that REALLY worked. My index finger had been painful but was not swollen (felt like I had a bandaid on it and was difficult and painful to bend). I hadn't 'done' anything to my finger, so thought I must be getting arthritis or something worse. Did as you suggested and while massaging realized THAT was the part of my hand that held the gardening tools I have been using almost every day for the past month. Unbelievable - thank you so much!

[Kathryn]

Thank you for writing, Cindy.

Isn't it amazing how much good a little knowledge can do? :)

You are very welcome and I am happy that you took action and got relief from your painful index finger.

It always pays to search and find the actual causes of our pain. Arthritis? Maybe...maybe not. Maybe it's just trigger points in muscles.

And that's good because they can be released or relaxed by doing exactly what you did.

You're very welcome and thank you again!

Kathryn
The Pain Relief Coach

[Wanda in Va]

Kathryn Thanks!!!!OMG It really worked. I was having problems with my index finger for the past week and I couldn't remember what happened to my finger.

I did exactly what you said in the article and the pain immediately stopped. Thanks.

[Kathryn]

Dear Wanda,

You are very welcome! I'm happy you got rid of the pain in your index finger. :-)

Kathryn

[Troody]

I am absolutely enchanted about being able to get rid of my index finger pain so easily--thank you! This may not be a trigger point question, but just in case you have more magic up your sleeve, I thought I'd ask! About five months ago, I fell and detached my tenth rib (on the right). It is surely healed by now, and I have just been dismissed from physical therapy. I am so much better! But there is a place just below my right shoulder blade where it feels exactly like my bra hook is digging into my back. I keep trying to "adjust" to ease it, but of course that's not really where my bra hook is. However, I have the sensation less without the bra. In general, skin in that area is more sensitive to heat/cold, pressure, etc. I keep thinking that there is something being compressed that shouldn't be, but perhaps my problem is not compressing in the right place?

[Kathryn]

Hello Troody,

That's an interesting question! Hmmm. Here's what comes to mind:

1. Perhaps your rib did not seat itself exactly where it used to be and the spine bone (vertebrae) or end of the rib is "poking" out a bit. That doesn't mean that it will never be in place again; it just means that it may be "out of place" now.

2. It could be muscles in your neck that are called the scalenes. Or it could be the long row of muscles that run along your spine. They may have a trigger point(s) that are causing these sensations. A skilled massage therapist who specializes in trigger point massage can find these trigger points and "release" or deactivate them.

3. Trigger points are hyper-irritable areas of muscle or other soft tissue that cause pain somewhere else, sometimes very far from the TP.
If you were to obtain a self-help trigger point workbook like the blue book on the right hand side of this page, you could learn how to get rid of your own trigger points by releasing the muscles yourself.

4. Nerves can cause sensation, too. If a bone or muscles presses on a nerve, it gets cranky and complains by causing symptoms. The solution is most often to release that muscle and take the pressure off the nerve.

5. Are you familiar with your latissimus muscle? This is the one that pops up under the arm on the back outer side of the ribs when a man flexes it. (Looks quite nice, too.) You might ask someone to pick up that muscle--pinch it--and hold it for maybe 20 seconds. If it's very uncomfortable they have the muscle. You want them to grab the muscle and not just skin. If that's part of the cause of your symptoms, you will notice them start to go away in about 20 minutes after the pinch.

Troody, those are my best long distance thoughts and maybe one of them will provide the magic. :)

One more thought: Are able to go without the bra, on the outside chance that it is irritating 'something' in your back? Or what about trying a bra with a looser band?

Best,

Kathryn
The Pain Relief Coach

[Nathan]

I am a medical illustrator and musician, and I've been having problems with my right hand for well over a month. I suspected tendonitis, a doctor agreed, and the only thing I've been able to do was take anti-inflammatory medicine. The primary source of the pain was my index finger and thumb.

I followed your advice, and those fingers haven't hurt since. There's still some tightness and some soreness in my wrist, but the relief of pain in my index finger, where it hurt most, went away almost instantly.

Probably the most instantly gratifying medical advice I've ever gotten. Thank you.

[Kathryn]

Hi Nathan,

Thank you for your great report and you are welcome! I love it when people find the information they need and then take action. :-)

If the pain in your wrist is around your wrist like a bracelet it is your subscapularis muscle. That muscle is sandwiched between your ribs and shoulder blade.

Some skilled massage therapists know how to lift the shoulder blade and get to that muscle.

Or you can "walk like a lion" on all fours on the floor and ROLL your shoulder blades. Make them pop up off your body like a lion does when he walks. Walk on your flat knuckles if it is uncomfortable to walk on your palms.

Thank you for writing and glad you had success getting rid of the first finger and thumb pain.

Best,
Kathryn
The Pain Relief Coach

[Jill Stoneberg]

OMG Kathryn you're a miracle worker! I am a full time Word Processor, aka typist and a couple of weeks ago my index finger began to display the symptoms you mentioned. I just tried your suggestion and it is a miracle! I am so thankful I found you and the amazing trigger point information. I was afraid it was CTS. Now I can return to my work pain free and know just want to do if the pain returns in the future. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your knowledge with us!

[Kathryn]

Hi Jill,

Thank you and you are very welcome! I appreciate your comments. :)

Yes, bodies DO act miraculously when we understand how they work and take action to help them.

I am so glad you took action instead of dialing your doctor. Probably a really nice guy but very few doctors understand the roles of muscles in pain and dysfunction.

Please share this website with co-workers or friends who wonder if they have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, too.

Glad to be able to help with your index finger problem!

Kathryn
The Pain Relief Coach

[greg]

hey im confused where on the hand is this? can you post a picture :) ?

[Kathryn]

Hi Greg,

You asked and I did it! Here is the link to another article which has the picture.

A picture is worth a thousand words. :-)

http://www.carpaltunnelpainreliefnow.com/2011/09/how-to-get-rid-of-pain-in-your-index-finger.html

Thank you for writing,

Kathryn Merrow
The Pain Relief Coach

[julio]

thank so much now i can get back to boxing and start working out

[Kathryn]

Hi Julio,

Thank you for writing. I'm glad that was your problem and that your finger wasn't broken.

Kathryn
The Pain Relief Coach

[Ivy Davis]

Oh My Goodness!!! I've gone for an x ray, had blood work, and then I find this article!!! Why couldn't I have found it sooner? Mine has been like this for quite some time now so it will probably take a few days I'm assuming. I have it in my elbow as well so the poster who asked about the elbow was incredibly helpful as well!! Thank you so much!

[Ivy Davis]

Ok, I have one more question since you have now fixed my elbow as well as my index finger!!! For a couple of years now, I've had pain in my left shoulder. I lift weights frequently, and it is most evident when I am lying on a bench doing chest work. It will actually start to go numb and prevent me from being able to lift as much on my left side. Could this have a trigger point as well??

[Kathryn]

Well hello again, Ivy!

It may be a trigger point or it may be pressure on a nerve in your neck or upper back. The pressure could be caused by the position OR by the combination of the position and movement.

Let me know exactly where you start feeling the numbness and I will see what muscles may be involved. (i.e., front top arm, palm side hand, which fingers?) If there is more than area that you feel sensation in, please let me know that, too.

And remember, muscles can cause pressure on nerves. It doesn't mean there is a nervy problem, just that something is pressing on a nerve (and nerves don't like that!)

Kathryn

[Kathryn]

Hi Ivy,

Thank you for writing. It's too bad that more doctors and other medical providers don't understand muscles better. But I'm glad you found your simple solution to your finger and elbow pain. :-)

Kathryn
The Pain Relief Coach

[James]

Hello, Kathryn.

My right index finger has been sore for at least 4 months now. I can't remember the cause and I thought it would go away in time. I've been to an orthopedist two weeks ago, and it didn't help.

The pain is unbearable and is located throughout the whole finger. The tendons feel stiff and painful, as well as all of the joints in the finger and the joint that connects it to the hand. There is no swelling.

I'm confused about the trigger point. Which bone should I feel exactly? The picture you provided in one of your comments shows the mark on the back side of the hand. Is that where I should apply pressure? How many times should I repeat the process? I've tried for 10 minutes and both the joints and the tendons still hurt the same. Could you explain how to locate and apply pressure on the trigger point in more detail, please?

Thank you
James

[Kathryn]

Hi James,

Thank you for writing. Yes, "x" marks the place to apply pressure.

You can press up to 10 or 12 seconds and then let the area rest for several minutes. Then press again for several seconds. Sometimes you will feel as though there is less pressure even though you have not released your pressure. If so, that means your muscle is relaxing.

If the "x" feels really tender, that's a good clue that it could be the correct area to press. And it might be quite uncomfortable with pressure.

There are other causes for index finger pain, too. Try 'working' your way up your lower arm and see if, by pressing, you find any tender areas that may be involved. The tendons for the fingers actually run almost all the way to your elbow.

You might also try icing (cold packs.) Because you say 'stiff and painful' I have some hesitation to suggest cold therapy but that could be the drug of choice for your finger. If you feel slightly better, that would be a positive sign. But if your finger feels worse after the cold, please do not use the ice again. My hesitation would be if you had suffered an injury to that hand but you indicate that didn't happen to your recollection.

Since you did try pressing on the trigger point indicated for a long period, and it didn't help, my next best guesses would be (a) cold therapy and (b) looking farther up your arm for trigger points or tight muscles that could be referring pain to your index finger.

You're welcome. Let me know how this works.

Kathryn
The Pain Relief Coach

[James]

Hi Kathryn,

My finger has swollen the next day after applying pressure on the pressure point. Cold therapy didn't help and apart from the pain that I feel when I press my vein I don't feel any other tender spots on my forearm.

I'll try letting the finger rest. Other than that, I've given up hope.

Thank you for your help.

James

[Kathryn]

Hi James,

Thank you for writing again and you're welcome. Maybe your finger is dislocated? It might be worth asking a chiropractor if that is the case and if he or she could adjust it. (Some do adjustments for the hands and feet.)

Sometimes the best treatment is rest and tiny movements from time to time to keep the fluids flowing.

Yesterday a woman told me how painful her baby finger was. She called it a spasm. I pressed into the palm side of her hand near the edge of the hand for a few minutes. She said it was tight and tender. The next day she told me the pain in the baby finger was all gone. Your pain might be coming from the small muscles in your hand.

I am sorry you are not having relief right now but please remember that bodies heal all the time. And I hope you will soon get rid of this pain in your finger.

Take care,
Kathryn