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Half of my hand is numb and tingly after an elbow injury. Why?

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Patient's Query

Hi doctor,

I am a 38-year-old female, and my height is 5 feet 9 inches with a weight of about 125 lbs. One day I hit my left elbow really hard on the broken end of a two-by-four wood. Since then, my thumb, index finger, and half of my arm all the way up to my elbow have been numb and tingly. The position of the arm does not seem to matter. Numbness and the tingly feeling never go away. Also, I am not able to grip with my left hand the way that I used to.

Answered by Dr. Santosh Kumar Bashyal

Education:

DO

Professional Bio:

Dr. Santosh Kumar Bashyal is an Orthopedician and Traumatologist specializing in the diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of musculoskeletal injuries and disorders. He is skilled in managing fractures, joint dislocations, ligament and tendon injuries, sports-related trauma, and degenerative bone and joint conditions. Dr. Bashyal has expertise in both surgical and non-surgical interventions, including joint replacement, arthroscopy, and trauma care. His practice emphasizes patient-centered management, rehabilitation planning, and restoring mobility and function for optimal quality of life.

This doctor is not available for online consultations on the platform anymore.

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

Looking into your problem, I feel there is entrapment of the nerve supplying at the elbow. Basically, three nerves pass through the elbow: radius, median and ulnar nerves. In your case, you might have two nerves injured which include the median and radius that supply the thumb and index finger.

I want you to do the nerve conduction study of the radius, ulnar and median nerve. The ulnar nerve has the worst prognosis compared to the other two nerves.

Meanwhile, I would recommend you to use some elbow support braces and take the following drugs that will help in the regeneration of these nerves.

  1. Tablet Methylcobalamin 1500 mcg PO sublingual once daily for two weeks.
  2. Capsule Gabapentin 100 mg twice daily for two weeks.
  3. Wishing you a speedy recovery

Medically reviewed by Dr. Sneha Kannan
Published At August 27, 2020
Reviewed At February 10, 2023

Education:

DO

Professional Bio:

Dr. Santosh Kumar Bashyal is an Orthopedician and Traumatologist specializing in the diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of musculoskeletal injuries and disorders. He is skilled in managing fractures, joint dislocations, ligament and tendon injuries, sports-related trauma, and degenerative bone and joint conditions. Dr. Bashyal has expertise in both surgical and non-surgical interventions, including joint replacement, arthroscopy, and trauma care. His practice emphasizes patient-centered management, rehabilitation planning, and restoring mobility and function for optimal quality of life.

This doctor is not available for online consultations on the platform anymore.

Education:

BDS

Professional Bio:

Dr. Sneha Kannan is a skilled Dental Surgeon with expertise in providing general dental care, including scaling, fillings, and preventive treatments. She does oral surgery procedures such as extractions and minor surgical interventions. She does procedures in restorative dentistry, including crowns, bridges, and dentures. She is an expert in doing endodontic treatments such as root canal therapy. She is well-versed in doing procedures in cosmetic dentistry, including teeth whitening and smile correction. She can provide pediatric dental care for children’s oral health and preventive treatments. She promotes oral hygiene awareness and preventive dental practices.  

This doctor is not available for online consultations on the platform anymore.

Same symptoms don't mean you have the same problem. Consult a doctor now!

Education:

DO

Professional Bio:

Dr. Santosh Kumar Bashyal is an Orthopedician and Traumatologist specializing in the diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of musculoskeletal injuries and disorders. He is skilled in managing fractures, joint dislocations, ligament and tendon injuries, sports-related trauma, and degenerative bone and joint conditions. Dr. Bashyal has expertise in both surgical and non-surgical interventions, including joint replacement, arthroscopy, and trauma care. His practice emphasizes patient-centered management, rehabilitation planning, and restoring mobility and function for optimal quality of life.

This doctor is not available for online consultations on the platform anymore.

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