NHS treatment depends on the severity of your symptoms and how long you’ve had them. The initial recommendations include over the counter painkillers to deal with the discomfort. The NHS may offer a split or a strap to stop the finger moving. They may also offer injections.

Surgery is not widely available and tends to be reserved for those with very severe symptoms. It is subject to long waiting lists and availability will vary by area (postcode).

The NHS website states “In most cases, trigger finger is a nuisance rather than a serious condition.”

However, it also recognises “Surgery for trigger finger is effective and it’s rare for the problem to return in the treated finger or thumb.”

Many patients do seek private treatment to deal with trigger finger.