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NUMBNESS in finger after hurting elbow.

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I Injured my funny bone real bad a couple months ago...now if I touch my elbow in a certain spot I get that sensation all over again but today I got where my thumb and tip of my forefinger went numb...it felt like they were twisting inside and then I felt the nunbness

Category: Family Physician-GP

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Category: HIV- AIDS Specialist
 32 Doctors Online

Hello.
Thank you for posting your query at DoctorSpring.com
I understand your concern.
It seems like during the injury, you ended up injuring the ulnar nerve ( a nerve that travels all the way from our shoulder to the wrist ), leading to what is called as Ulnar Mononeuropathy.
The issue is this kind of pain can be really troublesome. The symptoms are loss of sensation, tingling, burning sensation, and loss of co ordination between fingers. At time the entire hand can be involved leading it to be clumsy.
The good thing though is that it mostly heals on its own and the only treatment that is required is symptomatic treatment for the pain. Hence i will advise you to take Tab. Ibuprofen 400 mg twice daily after food for the next 3-5 days. It will reduce the inflammation of the nerve and you should feel better after a week's time.
In case it persists beyond another couple of weeks, an orthopaedic opinion along with a nerve ultrasound might be required. Just to reinforce right now there is no need for that. Most patients recover spontaneously. Hence you can take the medicines and it will heal on its own.
Hope this was helpful,
Regards.


Patient replied :

is it weird that I would be getting the numbness now in my thumb and forefinger when usually I would get it if I touched my elbow in my pinky and ring finger? It did it yesterday when I was leaning on my elbow..today I was wrestling with my daughter..


Hello.
No it just shows that the nerve is injured, and any direct or indirect contact with the nerve will lead on to a tingling or numbness sensation especially in the little finger because the ulnar nerve supplies the little finger. Ulnar nerve moves in very close proximity to your elbow and hence it is possible to initiate such symptoms especially after it has been injured.
I will advise you to continue with the medicine and also avoid any kind of injuries to your elbow. The nerve needs time to heal, and any further injury will aggravate the symptoms and make it a lot worse.
Hope this was helpful,
Regards.


Patient replied :

but the numbness was in my thumb and tip of my forefinger..i just want to be sure that it being in those is still the result of that nerve


Hello.
Yes even other fingers such as the thumb and the fore finger is supplied by the ulnar nerve. Hence any minor damage to the nerve will lead to such numbness or loss of sensation in the other fingers too.
This is due to the ulnar mononeuropathy as i mentioned.
It will recover on its own. But continue the Ibuprofen.
Regards.


Dr. Jaydeep Tripathy
Category: HIV- AIDS Specialist
Experience: 
MBBS from Sri Ramachandra University in December 2011
M.Med (Family Medicine) - TNMGR University, Chennai
MBA-MPH in Public Health in March 2016, SRM University
Finished AFIH in March 2016, SRM University
MRCP ( UK ), Internal Medicine, Royal College of Physicians, June 2016
Fellowship in Diabetology from Martin Luther University in January 2017

Currently Resident Physician, in MD Radiodiagnosis - Kamakshi Memorial Hospital, Chennai
Dr. Jaydeep Tripathy and 4 other Medical Specialists are ready to help you

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