MedlinePlus

MedlinePlus is a service of the National Library of Medicine (NLM), the world's largest medical library, which is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). It was built as an online health information resource for patients and their families and friends.

MedlinePlus presents high-quality, easy to understand, relevant health and wellness information that is trusted.

Alphabetical Listings

a b c d e f g h i j k l m
n o p q r s t u v w x y z

MedlinePlus at a Glance

Offers information on health topics, human genetics, medical tests, medications, dietary supplements, and healthy recipes.
Sourced from more than 1,600 selected organizations.
Provides 40,000 links to authoritative health information in English and 18,000 links to information in Spanish.
In 2018, 277 million users viewed MedlinePlus more than 700 million times.

Finger Injuries and Disorders

You use your fingers and thumbs to do everything from grasping objects to playing musical instruments to typing. When there is something wrong with them, it can make life difficult. Common problems include:

Injuries that result in fractures (broken bones), ruptured ligaments and dislocations
Osteoarthritis - wear-and-tear arthritis. It can also cause deformity.
Tendinitis - irritation of the tendons
Dupuytren's contracture - a hereditary thickening of the tough tissue that lies just below the skin of your palm. It causes the fingers to stiffen and bend.
Trigger finger - an irritation of the sheath that surrounds the flexor tendons. It can cause the tendon to catch and release like a trigger.