Trigger finger, a startling indicator of diabetes

The "trigger finger," often referred to as the "locked finger," is a condition where one or multiple fingers become bent, making it challenging to straighten them.

This symptom most frequently affects the thumb or the middle finger. When this happens, the positioning of the hand can resemble that of a finger placed on the trigger of a firearm, ready to fire, hence the name.

The difficulty in straightening the so-called trigger finger is commonly caused by the thickening of the tendons responsible for straightening and bending it. It can also result from the thickening of the connective tissue sheath.

The inability to straighten the bent finger can make some tasks challenging or impossible. Sometimes, the "trigger finger" condition also causes pain, requiring surgical intervention.

This particular symptom can indicate various health problems. Still, Swedish researchers found it often occurs with high sugar levels in the blood.

One member of the research team, Mattias Rydberg from the University of Lund, noted that in their surgical clinic, the trigger finger was commonly observed in patients with both Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes. To investigate this correlation further, the Swedish experts analyzed healthcare data from the national Swedish diabetes register and the Skåne region database.

Their findings revealed that the trigger finger occurs in 15 percent of patients with diabetes, mostly among those suffering from type 1 diabetes. According to the researchers, this symptom is especially common among individuals who do not adequately manage their diabetes.

"Although trigger fingers are typically characteristic of people with type 1 diabetes, they also occur in people with type 2 diabetes. We're interested in discovering whether they can also serve as a warning sign for people who have not yet been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes," said Mattias Rydberg.