October 23, 2009 - 4:58am
I woke up the other morning and my right arm was totally numb. At first I just thouhght i slept on it wrong, but when i coukldnt move my wrist or fingers. I was like oh *#&^$. This happened to me once before. All they did was put a %$?^ up splint on it and give me a tens unit so the muscles wouldnt get so atrophied fromn lack of use. I was just wondering how common this. It took 8 months to heal 100% last time. Any input is appreciated.
Ray
October 24, 2009 - 2:04pm
#2
http://www.ecureme.com/emyhea
October 24, 2009 - 2:54pm
#3
.
I had a median nerve decompression on my right arm...it left a sweet 10 inch scar on my forearm.
Also I had a ulnar nerve transpostion on the right arm...they put the funny bone nerve under my muscle moving it away from its place around the bone...got a nice 4 incher from that one.
I think its very important to have this taken care of as soon as you can if it continues.
I am waiting to schedule a nerve conduction test and a shoulder mri for my left hand..i have lost feeling in the pinky and ring finger..unlnar nerve problem.
Nerves are weird..my finger i type with feels like it has a thumbtack stuck in it....surgeries were great...i can tie my shoes again..it was bad.
October 24, 2009 - 3:06pm
#4
Wow, so you are experienced
Wow, so you are experienced in all of this, huh Goat? What a thing to be good at, huh? I'm looking forward to the beautiful scar art that I will have on my arm. thanks for the visual though! LOL. I've never heard of a median decompression leaving such a large scar, wow! All of the ones that I have seen are maybe two inches long at the most and are on the palmside of the wrist. Was yours not compressed at the wrist? I've seen many successful ulnar transpositions. Did you have any trouble with it? My surgeon told me the last time I saw him that he doesn't do the transpositions anymore, but does ulnar releases. Not sure what the difference is, but he told me its an easier surgery. I hope so.
I can relate to the thumbtack description. I describe it as typing on red hot razor blades. Apparently our symptoms are pretty similar.
Since you are the expert it seems, can you tell me how long the recovery was for these surgeries? I'm not sure if my surgeon is going to do all three of mine at the same time or separately. But I'll need to be able to get back to typing as soon as possible. I need the over time income and also I hate the fact that someone else is going to be doing my work for me for a while. Did you have any complications? Did you have to go to PT afterwards or does it heal successfully (hopefully) on its own? Any information you can provide would be appreciated. Thanks, Goat.
Sorry to highjack your thread, s8dude. But his answers might also impact you in the future as well, so it might be helpful to you also.
October 24, 2009 - 3:21pm
#5
if
you have a operation let it heal...mine were at the elbow...i have very stretched out scars, very wide...give it a couple/few months for the nerve to settle down and its good as new..as soon as my palm started to atrophy i was having the surgery within 2 months of onset....i had little pt...i was shown some stretches i still use...take care
October 24, 2009 - 3:30pm
#6
thanks for the info
My arm is num from around the back of the elbow, the underside of my elbow wrapping around the topof my arm al the way down to the tips of my 1st 3 fingers. I cant move my wrist up at all. It just hangs there gimp. I can grasp thingss, i just cant let go of it them because I cant voluntarily open my hand or raise my wrist, and now today my wrist hurts like *I%&$. This happened once before and all they did was give me a %$?^-up splint so my hand didnt droop and tol me to use a tens unit (god that hurt), and some pain meds so the muscles wouldn't get atrophied. It alasted 8 months last time before I got 100% usage .After that i still didn't have full grip strength and that was back in 02 or 03.
Ray
October 24, 2009 - 3:42pm
#7
for sure
thats a median nerve issue...i was unable to touch my index finger to my thumb ..i had one op in 97..the median nerve...and the ulnar was in 2000...the right hand still tingles and i lost some grip..i will never forget the shots into my armpit before surgery...my arm was all floppy
October 24, 2009 - 6:00pm
#8
I think they called
It Radial, because of the wrist involvement.
October 24, 2009 - 8:10pm
#9
yep
i forgot about that nerve...i need to make my appts monday...good luck ray
October 27, 2009 - 2:52am
#10
radial nerve palsy
hi...i have been diagnosed w/ severe radial nerve damage after dislocating right shoulder and fracturing humerus on sept 11. Had EMG 2 weeks ago.The nerve, although not severed, is very badly damaged. I cant extend or raise fingers and i have a floppy wrist. the nerve pain is pretty bad, so i have switched from vicodin to lyrica (22x a day) a few days ago. i think it is taking the edge off. however, i do continue 1 vicodin a day because of periods when the pain in shoulder and arm get unbearable. i am seeing a certified hand OT 2x a week who is working with me on range of motion. She does soft tissue massage, which hurts, but allows for better movement to make wrist, at least. I am wearing a radial brace with bands around the fingers.I started PT for shoulder last week. My drs..both the hand specialist/orthoped and neurologist (Baltimore) who did the emg are excellent. It was explained to me that the radial nerve is the one they like to work with, because with the worst case scenario (completely damaged), tendon grafting can be done with good prognosis of getting movement back. With my severity of damage, the nerve repairs at one inch per month. So, I will not see any hand/wrist improvement for one year, bar any complication. PT and OT does not speed up nerve repair-it just helps with range of motion. It is important not to allow frozen joints in fingers, wrist, elbow and shoulder. I have lots of work ahead of me. I am a school counselor and professional pianist, so I am out of work and piano gigs. I hope I can play the piano again some day! I can't drive or pick up my daughter's newborn. It is difficult to do anything. This injury requires a lot of patience. Good luck. Please continue this thread because there is not much out there. I am up at 3:00 AM because thee nerve and shoulder pain is unbearable tonight. Guess the lyrica is not helping. Maybe the dose needs to be increased.
October 27, 2009 - 7:39am
#11
Wow, kathy! You've really
Wow, kathy! You've really been through heck, haven't you? I don't have radial nerve problems, but my nerve problems are affecting my hands nonetheless. A pianist! How horrible that you are having these problems. As a transcriptionist, I can relate. I was just telling my mother yesterday, that although EVERYONE needs their hands obviously, it is worse for typists and pianists when they have problems with their hands.
Don't flame me anyone! I know there are people like hair stylists and people that work with tools and many others etc that have it horrible also. Its just that pianists and typists not only need their hands, but also we need our fingers to be extremely accurate when using our hands to do our jobs. There is some similarity in the way we use our hands to do our jobs.
I use Neurontin, which is like Lyrica. I started taking it for chronic neck and back pain prior to having these hand problems. Can't say I've seen much diff but then again, I don't know how bad it could be without it.
October 27, 2009 - 10:02am
#12
Kathy, sounds like we're in the same boat...
Your boat is just broken a little more than mine. This is my second go around with this. I wish I could just figure out why this keeps happening. I didnt have any obvious injury. Both times this has happened, I just woke up and my hand this way, GIMP. like i said before, it took a full 8 months to heal. So We'll see how long it takes this time. Hopefully less. I just went and had a different splint made, the one I had was just one I went out and bought and modified a little bit. Your injury sounds much much worse than mine. I'm surprised your getting along on just one Vicoden and the Lyrica. How is the lyrica working out for you now? Any change? You have to have increased pain with all that PT, but the less pain med you take the better off you are. I've also used a TCA (tricyclic antidepressant) like Elavil for nerve pain but that was before lyrica came along. So... I wish you well, if you have any questions feel free to ask..That's why were here..Best of Luck
Ray
October 28, 2009 - 6:38pm
#13
Hi Ray, so sorry to hear
Hi Ray, so sorry to hear about this added problem, my friend. I hope it all works out for you, your plate was already full enough. Keep us posted when you can, OK?
Q
What part of your arm is numb? From where to where? Which fingers are involved? Right now I have pretty much the same prob, thankfully its my left arm as I am right handed. Turns out I have bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome (median compressive neuropathies at the wrists), no surprise since I've been doing transcription for 20 years. But that isn't my biggest problem. I also have ulnar compressive neuropathy at both my left wrist and left elbow since May. Which is causing incredible elbow pain, some wrist pain, numbness from the elbow to my hand, including all fingers, which is worse and worse every day. CTS involves the thumb and first two fingers, ulnar neuropathy involves the last two fingers. My arm also falls asleep, which is actually horribly painful. Its worse at night. Also have weakness of the arm and hand and sensivity, particularly the palm and fingertips. Also, the muscles of my left hand are atrophied. I use bilateral wrist splints at night, as well as during the day on the left and an elbow pad/protector so I dont injure the nerve further by bending or resting the elbow on hard surfaces. I see a surgeon on Monday for probable operation. My doctor/boss is urging me to have the surgery immediately because apparently if the nerves are compressed for too long, they may be permanently damaged.
I would see a neurologist and see if they will perform electromyography/nerve conduction studies on that arm for a definitive diagnosis.