James Best as Deputy Roscoe P. Coltrane in âThe Dukes of Hazzard,â hugging Flash. James Best, whose prolific career included 83 movies and 600 TV shows but is best remembered for portraying Rosco P. Coltrane, the bumbling sheriff of Hazzard County, died late Monday in Hickory at age 88.
1 Insect bites and stings can also cause thumb swelling. Local inflammation, itching, burning and swelling can result after an insect bite, it may persist for few hours before healing on its own.  Infection of the thumb can also cause its swelling. It can be a secondary infection due to trauma and cut on the thumb.
The swelling makes it difficult for the affected tendon to slide through its membrane (tendon sheath), causing the pain and stiffness associated with trigger finger. The swelling can cause a section of the tendon to become bunched into a small lump (nodule) at the base of the affected finger or thumb. If a nodule forms, the tendon can get trapped in the tendon sheath, causing the affected finger or thumb to become temporarily stuck in a bent position.