Trigger Finger

Bilateral trigger fingers occur in approximately 20–25% of all patients and are particularly common in patients with diabetes, rheumatism, or dialysis. The treatment strategy proceeds in the following order: ① treating the non-dominant hand first (maintaining daily use of the dominant hand) ② treating the opposite hand at intervals of 2 to 3 days. Since overloading the affected hand must be avoided for 1 to 2 days after the acupuncture procedure, simultaneous treatment of both hands causes significant inconvenience in daily life. Since herbal medicine can be administered systemically to both hands simultaneously, combining it with internal treatment is efficient.

Perspective of a Korean Medicine Clinic

Simultaneous onset in both hands is evidence in Korean medicine that systemic imbalance of Qi and blood, as well as weakness of the spleen, stomach, liver, and kidneys, play a more significant role than local overuse. When blood stasis and dampness are spread throughout the entire meridian, the most vulnerable area (the pulleys of the fingers) reacts simultaneously on both sides. At Dongjedang, we enhance treatment efficiency by combining bilateral needle acupuncture with constitution-tailored herbal medicine focused on systemic detoxification and the removal of dampness, and subsequently establish a long-term plan linked to diabetes management.