Using the Gate Control Theory of Pain to Decrease Pain During Trigger Finger Corticosteroid Injections

Closing the Gate: Investigating a No-Cost, Noninvasive, Patient-Driven Approach to Pain Reduction for Trigger Finger Injections

The goal of this clinical trial is to investigate a new noninvasive technique that patients may use to help reduce the pain that they experience during cortisone injections for trigger fingers. It will also help provide information that may help support the gate control theory of pain as a framework for understanding and managing acute pain.The main questions it aims to answer are:

Can a physical stimulus near the site of cortisone injection reduce the pain experienced by the patient during the injection? Does the physical stimulation or the cognitive distraction contribute more to pain relief?

Researchers will compare a physical stimulus near the injection site to a placebo (a similar task that theoretically should not reduce the experience of pain) to see if physical stimuli work to improve pain during injections.

Participants will:

Estimate how much pain they expect to experience during a cortisone injection Receive a cortisone injection for a trigger finger while performing one of three possible actions (control, placebo task, or the investigated physical stimulus near the injection site) Express how much pain they actually experienced during the injection

Inclusion Criteria:

• Are at least 18 years of age.
• Have been diagnosed with one or more "trigger fingers" of the index, middle, ring, or small fingers.
• Have decided to try a cortisone injection for one or more trigger fingers today as advised by your physician.
• Are able to read and understand these study procedures.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Are severely visually impaired.
• Have a history of spinal cord injury.
• Have taken opioid pain medications in the last 28 days.
• Are currently pregnant.