Nerve damage irrevocable?

[JohnJr]

Kind of a strange one, certainly surprised me.

The other day (about a month ago) I carried some of those plastic grocery bags into a meeting. They were loaded with milk, OJ, and doughnuts/muffins. I may have also had some presentation/note-taking materials, notebook, stuff like that. Anyway, a decent load.

I don't think I noticed until the next day, but my index finger on my right hand is numb. It's still numb a month later, and I think I have broken it.

I think the load "pinched a nerve," or just flat broke it in two. Is that the way those things work? Is there any chance my index finger will un-numb, or am I just stuck with a defective finger?

It doesn't hurt or anything, it's just there, and weirdly numb when I think of it, or use it.

Thanks.

-John

[daniellopi]

Nerve damage is not always permanent. Sometimes it heals, sometimes it doesn't. If it does, it can take a long time.

I was bitten by a dog a few years ago. The bite was bad enough that I thought they may have to amputate the end of my finger. They ended up being able to save it, but I had numbness that went down the length of my finger for about a year to a year and a half. It did finally heal (to my surprise) and you wouldn't even know I'd been maimed if I didn't tell you.

[JohnJr]

Well cool! (except the maiming :()

I'll give it another 15 months. :)

-John

[DMHinCO]

Nerve regrowth is measurable in terms of millimeters per month though I am not certain of the actual rate. But that is for actual nerve damage. The human body is really cool.

I, too, have experienced the Safeway Syndrome you describe. For me, it improved in just days. It almost seems like the nerve is crushed or bruised or something and it heals rapidly.

For this to go on for a month is concerning. I also think that your doc has only one treatment: wait. I don't think there is electrical stimulation that they do for this, but you might check with him.

[Marc]

The only nerve damage I've had was from a dentist visit once. The injection of novacaine, or whatever they use, severed a nerve, leaving me with a numb spot on my cheek.

Fortunately, it only took a month or two to heal.

[JohnJr]

Thanks all. I'll just keep using digital stimulation. :D ;)

-John {and wait it out}

[Agatha]

I had nerve damage to my big toe. It was numb for about 2 years. It's mostly back. Nerve damage takes a long time to heal.

[Michael]

Lady I work with was carrying stuff in one of those plastic bags and it twisted on her. She hadn't realized it and held it for while. When she went to set it down, she saw that her finger was blue. She had nerve damage in it for a couple of months. She was pretty religious and prayed on it a lot, so you may be at 4 months...:D

[Mikkel_Knight]

Thanks all. I'll just keep using digital stimulation. :D ;)

-John {and wait it out}
Actually should probably have a Doc look at it just in case...

[JohnJr]

I'm not much of a Doc guy. And with the way my lungs are acting up, it's not going to be my finger that kills me. :(

Sorry to be such a sour-puss. And yes, I know, I have to stop smoking.

I mean there is no way this is a blood clot or something, right? You hear of things like that, where a blood clot loosens and goes to the brain, and kaboom. As far as I know, that would be the only scary thing.

Well, I see your point. :)

-John

[scottjf8]

I'm not much of a Doc guy. And with the way my lungs are acting up, it's not going to be my finger that kills me. :(

Sorry to be such a sour-puss. And yes, I know, I have to stop smoking.

I mean there is no way this is a blood clot or something, right? You hear of things like that, where a blood clot loosens and goes to the brain, and kaboom. As far as I know, that would be the only scary thing.

Well, I see your point. :)

-John

I had a blood clot a few years ago (you probably remember) and it went into my lungs, and I was hospitalized for a few days....

Coulda killed me...

Get it looked at sir

[thevargasgrl]

I have only to echo what everyone else has said but also I wish you speedy healing JohnJr!
My Mother has permanent nerve damage in her hand from a dog bite. She is planning on getting a tattoo there since she won't be able to feel anything. Of course the attack was pretty brutal and she had to have a couple surgeries to repair the damage.
Good luck getting your feeling back!

[Pablo]

When I was a freshmen in college, some friends and I were rough housing in a dorm room while stoned/drunk. During the rough housing, I fell off the top bunk, resulting in a freak injury that caused me to be unable to raise my left arm. I could not command either my shoulder or elbow to bend. However, after about six weeks, it began to heal until it was back to normal. I hope your nerves heal as well as mine did.

[daniellopi]

I'm not much of a Doc guy. And with the way my lungs are acting up, it's not going to be my finger that kills me. :(

Sorry to be such a sour-puss. And yes, I know, I have to stop smoking.


Pretty sure smoking can exacerbate any digital problem -- smoking causes vasoconstriction, especially in the extremities, thus slowing healing. In fact, if I'm remembering correctly, smoking itself can cause numbness in the extremities.

[JohnJr]

Hey, you are right! I wonder if that is why it is taking so long to heal?!

I do have cold feet, cold hands (my poor mouse hand), and am pretty sure I have those constricted veins from smoking. Also, other simple wounds like bug bites can hang around for a long time.

I'll bet you have something there, daniellopi.

-John

[JohnJr]

The numbness is gone.

Apparently, I just had to post about it. ;)

Thanks all!

-John

[eddyj]

Glad to hear that! Now you have experienced the power of the Internet! :)