Earth Clinic Mobile: Home Remedies for People and Pets

Trigger Finger

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Borax for Trigger Finger

Kimberly (New Braunfels, TX) on 10/27/2023
5 out of 5 stars

Borax for Trigger Finger

I had it in my middle finger for over a year and wearing a splint does nothing. Borax is the winner! I would say it's about 90% gone. The only thing I notice is that when trying to open a tight lid on a jar, sometimes I get a twinge. But no more stiffness, pain or waking up with a bent finger. I take the borax protocol for arthritis (which worked a miracle on my very painful shoulders in less than a week) and fixing the trigger finger was a pleasant side effect. It took longer for the finger to get better than the shoulders. I take 1/4 teaspoon in a litter of water and feel like its more effective for me if I drink 25% at a time, spaced throughout the day. By the way, I am a woman, 5'6 125 lbs but I am very comfortable with the man's dosage because I had a lot of inflammation.

Borax Protocol is Healing Trigger Finger

Deirdre (Asheville) on 07/24/2022
5 out of 5 stars

I'm thrilled to report that Ted's borax protocol, 1/8th teaspoon of borax in 1 liter of water sipped throughout the day, has been helping my trigger finger which I had been unable to bend since April. It took 3 weeks on the protocol to start seeing results. It happened quickly. All of a sudden, I could bend my thumb again. It's no longer stuck in a straight position and popping when I bend it!

I'd say it's 60% better at this point. If I stop the borax for even just a day, my thumb starts to stiffen up again, so I have NOT been taking any days off (per the protocol).

Amazing results as Trigger Finger supposedly has no "cure." I have tried many supplements over the past 3 years for my thumb. Surgery was my next option as I have already had 2 cortisone shots that wore off. P5P, the recommended supplement for trigger finger, did not help at all.

Update 1/15/2024:

The borax protocol 100% worked on my trigger thumb. It took about 6 months to diminish the inflammation to the point I could easily bend my thumb again. I cut back on the borax protocol at the 6-month point, only doing it a few times a month when my fingers start to feel stiff. Works within a day. This is the BEST fix for a trigger finger. I tried them all!

Gayle's Bandaid Method for Trigger Finger

Sandra (MI) on 11/06/2021
5 out of 5 stars

The bandaid method worked for me. It took a long time before I could take it off and leave it off, but it worked. I believe that my other thumb is doing it now too. It's actually not clicking/locking, but it's seriously painful. I was in so much pain, I didn't know where to turn past alternating Advil with Voltaren gel. A brace didn't work nor a bandage wrap, so I decided to try a bandaid on it just for the heck of it. I put it right over the knuckle like I did on my other hand. In that way, I can't bend it. It worked. The pain subsided as soon as I got it on there. What a relief! On first trigger thumb, I also used the new surgical tape that's out there. It's a tan color, and I think it's possibly breathable. I wrapped that around several times and that worked well. It would eventually get dirty and start to come off because of working and getting it wet, but it worked. The bandaids did pretty much the same thing. I've even used both, including waterproof bandaids. What didn't work was the old-fashioned white surgical tape. My skin dried out so badly that it left a long cut across my skin (as if I wasn't in enough pain already).

Quit Coffee for Trigger Finger

David Barnes (Villa Rica Ga.) on 08/28/2021
5 out of 5 stars

I had trigger finger for about a year, some days it worse than others. And then, it magically went away on its own. Then after a few days, it magically came back. Then it magically disappeared again!!

What did I do differently in the days when it went away? I simply stopped drinking keurig Coffee for about a week. I thought, maybe it's the BPA in the plastic, so using a french press, I made some coffee which came from a Keurig pod. Next morning the Trigger Finger was back. It's definitely the coffee!! Why, I don't know, but coffee has small traces of mold in it and I believe that's the cause.

Niecie (Covina, CA) on 05/21/2020
5 out of 5 stars

Trigger finger seems to be a vitamin B6 deficiency. My mom had a severe case for years. She could not bend her finger and had pain. I began giving her vitamin B6 in P-5-P (pyridoxal-5-phosphate) form. 50 mg 3x/day. Within a few weeks all pain was gone and she had full movement. I then reduced her dose to 50mg twice a day and still no symptoms. Truly a miracle! This remedy is also good for carpal tunnel syndrome.

Mimi (San Diego ) on 06/10/2019
5 out of 5 stars

Hello. I had trigger finger really bad a year ago. Tried everything on this site. Did not work. I did more research and Pyridoxal 5 Phosphate (P5P) WORKS....gone gone! I took 3 a day for 7 months and GONE. I still take 1 a day and I have absolutely no stiffness. Get it at a health food store. May help arthritus.

Marsh57 (United States) on 03/29/2019
5 out of 5 stars

Yesterday after a nap my right 3rd finger was stuck closed. Helped it open with my other hand; it hurt like crazy, even when rubbing it. Came to EC, read about the bromelain. Took 1 capsule and an hour later, I realized the symptoms were gone. This is the 3rd time this has happened in about 3 months. I applied castor oil with frankincense which helped a bit – the pain and stiffness lasted about 3 days – but the bromelain was amazing!

Comfrey Ointment for Trigger Finger

SJHersh (Fleischmanns, NY) on 02/03/2021
5 out of 5 stars

I had experienced severe TF locking in both hands when waking in the morning and frequent 'locks' during the day. I had been trying natural treatments but none ever worked as decisively and definitely as a comfrey poultice. My TF became significantly reduced overnight, both in frequency and intensity. I began making comfrey ointments for the direct purpose of treating TF symptoms.

I went to an orthopedic surgeon several years ago who told me to come back when it got worse. I've never been back and continue to apply a comfrey-based ointment regularly (3-4x weekly) to manage my symptoms. Pulling a cork from a wine bottle will cause one finger on my left hand to fire/lock.

Using a comfrey-based topical ointment often offers fast response as there is little body mass in the hand to fully diffuse the benefit of, methinks, the mucilage that comfrey carries with it. Comfrey is also a natural source of allantoin which encourages cell-growth. Although a direct poultice seems to offer the most benefit, this fresh type of treatment is not possible for most folks.

A comfrey-based topical ointment is an excellent substitute.

Rule Out the Water for Trigger Finger and Arthritis

Deirdre (CT) on 01/15/2021
5 out of 5 stars

I want to give an update to my trigger thumb issue that I wrote about last summer. I tried many of the remedies listed on EC, topically and internally, and none helped at all. After one of my thumbs basically froze in place because the tendon was so inflamed, I decided to see a hand specialist about it at the end of September. He gave me a cortisone shot in each thumb and said it would take several weeks to heal. There was definitely improvement after about 3 weeks, however the rest of my fingers were still feeling oddly arthritic.

As mentioned in my first post on the subject, besides a possible karate training injury, I had also purchased a Berkey Stainless Steel Water Filtration canister and started drinking the amazingly purified water right around the same time the trigger and arthritis finger symptoms appeared out of the blue.

Well, when healing was still moving very slowly a month after the cortisone shot, I decided to stop drinking the filtered water from my Berkey just to rule it out. Well guess what. Within a few days, all arthritis and trigger finger symptoms in both hands COMPLETELY disappeared!

People often mention to avoid distilled water because it can deplete critical nutrients from your body. However they rarely mention the same about purified water. Just wanted to put it out there that if you have sudden onset of arthritis in your hands (or elsewhere for that matter) or trigger finger, you might want to change your drinking water source and see if that helps.

It was an easy fix, but took a few months to figure out!

I hope this information helps someone else.

Bromelain for Trigger Finger

Vkelerful (Texas) on 10/19/2018
5 out of 5 stars

I have had much success with bromalein for my trigger finger which I took for a year...Trying now to supplement with pineapple juice now to sustain. Haven’t done that enough yet....but a trigger maybe once a week isn’t bad. Trying to boost the juice. How much does one need? What exercises?

Supplements for Trigger Finger

Hound (California) on 04/03/2018
5 out of 5 stars

1 teaspoon MSM crystals, mixed in 2 or 3 ounces of water, 1 UC-II (standardized chicken cartilage - providing undenatured type II collagen - 10 mg). (take on an empty stomach), and 6-500 mg capsules of PABA. My thumb was frozen and useless.

Trigger Finger Caused by Eating Oranges!

Andy (Uk) on 07/24/2017
5 out of 5 stars

I've noticed that eating oranges gives me trigger finger. Always eaten oranges and drank orange juice. Started to get trigger finger in my 50's stopped eating oranges, no more trigger finger. This may not be the case for everyone but it's definitely cured mine. I did actually try oranges again, after eating two oranges in 1 day, trigger finger started to come back. Stopped again, trigger fingers gone away, too much of a coincidence. Even if this helps a few of you it's worth posting.

Re: Bromelain for Trigger Finger

Mary (Phoenix, Az) on 04/05/2017
5 out of 5 stars

For trigger finger, try taking the bromelain on an empty stomach with water. If you take it with meals, it will digest your food rather than working on healing your trigger finger.

Re: Ice for Trigger Finger Inflammation

Cheryl (Philadelphia ) on 11/20/2016
5 out of 5 stars

For trigger finger, try holding ice on it to relieve the inflammation, that worked for me.

Bromelain for Trigger Finger

Moillyinfl (Florida) on 08/15/2016
5 out of 5 stars

I've had trigger finger in my thumb for several months. It was stiff and very painful. I was not able to bend it at all. Then I ran across the suggestion here to try bromelian. I ordered it the same day. In about two days, I could wiggle my thumb a little. It's been two weeks now and I have full range of motion in my thumb and no pain. It still clicks some, but at this rate, I'm sure it will be fully healed soon. I have tried so many things that didn't help at all. It was very demoralizing to have so much thumb pain because it is hard to do anything at all without using your thumb! Bromelian was like a miracle cure for me.

Re: Gayle's Bandaid Method Helping Trigger Finger

Houston (Chicago Il) on 05/16/2016
5 out of 5 stars

I put a large band aid around my finger at night as a splint and my finger seems to be healing. I sleep with it on all night to prevent my finger from being stuck in the morning thanks for the tip.

Bromelain Helping Trigger Finger

Peg (Ny) on 03/27/2016
4 out of 5 stars

I just got some bromelain supplements in the mail. I have severe trigger finger in my right thumb and the ring and pinky fingers of both hands. I took two tablets an hour ago and already feel a difference! I drove a lot today and my hands were sore. I can bend my right thumb without pain, and it has been a long time since I could do that...looking forward to seeing how much more improvement I can get from these supplements. Also planning to get acupuncture if needed...

Re: Best Brand of Bromelain for Trigger Finger

Gladys (Florida) on 03/10/2016
5 out of 5 stars

My doctor gave me a steroid injection 6 months ago for trigger finger. When the 6 months were up the pain was excruciating. I swear I was going to have to call the doctor and have him to an emergency surgery. I got online and I read about Bromelian. I went to the store immediately since it was saturday and the surgeon was not available and started taking them. I also purchased topical analgesic ointment anad (for joint and muscles pain) rub that on my hand and fingers, put a glove on and went to bed and the following day it was like a miracle. Thank God!! I'm hoping that Bromelian will work forever and I won't have to go for surgery.

Bromelain for Trigger Finger

Jeanette T. (San Antonio, Texas) on 02/18/2016
5 out of 5 stars

Bromelain....worked miracles for me.I had been suffering for a month with both thumbs trigger finger. First time I took 2 tables 500 mg of bromelain an hours or 2 I felt the result. Today is my second day and I woke up a little stiff but I am taking 2 500 ms 3 times a day and I feel 99% better. Thank God I read about bromelain. I really was considering acupunture in the next few days but after taking this I have cancelled my acupuncture appointment!

Oregano Oil and Sesame Oil Cured Trigger Finger

Joyce (South Carolina) on 01/18/2016
5 out of 5 stars

My trigger finger increased in intensity and immobility until I could not bend it anymore. The doctor said that surgery was my only option. It got so painful that I kept it splinted day and night for months. It was NOT improving in ANY fashion.

Then, I got a massive tooth infection.

To back off the tooth infection, I started taking 5 drops of 100% oregano oil in 2 teaspoons of sesame oil and 1/4 cup warm water 3x/day.

I took this concoction for weeks and during that time, I noticed changes in my trigger thumb problem. Soon, I could bend my thumb without the excruciating 'pop' and following pain ...my thumb was getting it's mobility back!

When I got the tooth dealt with, I stopped taking the oregano but kept taking a swallow (3 tsp?) of the sesame seed oil every day, and my thumb continued getting better until I was 100% normal.

I type at least 2 hours a day at my work. I play tennis, Frisbee golf, and many other sports. It feels great. :)

I have perfect mobility now with no pain. It has been over two years now. There has been a couple times that I felt a little stiffness in the thumb..., I just took sesame seed oil that day and it stopped.

I am not sure whether it was the oregano, sesame oil or both for the initial healing.

I encourage others to just keep seeking. You never know what may be missing in your diet to encourage healing. The body is an incredible design that seems to know what to do if we just provide it the correct tools to work with.