It all started like it does for many people — nothing too serious. At first, my fingers just felt a little stiff in the morning. Sometimes they’d ache after a long day at work, especially when typing or gripping things tightly. Then one morning, my finger suddenly locked in a bent position and “snapped” when I tried to straighten it.
At first, I ignored it, thinking it was just fatigue or overuse. But the stiffness kept returning — and soon, the locking became more frequent and painful. Some days, I’d wake up with my finger stuck, unable to move it without using my other hand to pry it open.
Simple things like holding a coffee mug or buttoning a shirt became frustrating. I started avoiding chores, typing slower, and even stopped doing my hobbies because every movement felt tight and sore.
The worst part? The pain didn’t go away even at rest. Some nights, I’d wake up with my hand throbbing, unable to fall back asleep.
Eventually, it began affecting my work. I couldn’t type or hold things as long as I used to. I tried everything — hand stretches, warm compresses, anti-inflammatory creams — some helped for a day, but the stiffness always came back.
When I finally turned to painkillers, I realized I couldn’t keep masking the problem. That’s when I decided to see a doctor — and discovered it was trigger finger, caused by inflammation in the tendon.
