Nerve Injury?

[Xiphos]

Had to wake up a drunk and fight with him this morning. I had to torque the shit out of his wrist with my cuffs, holding them in my left hand. My left ring finger has been numb since, like when you sleep on your arm. There's no swelling or pain and I have full range of motion. I figure I tweaked a nerve in my finger or something. Any thoughts?

[Jenna]

I don't know what might have happened, but maybe you should see a doctor about it, just in case it's a problem that could be more effectively treated with early intervention. We wouldn't want you to have to start posting without being able to use the 2, @, w, s, and x keys!

[Pudge]

I presume you had your ring on? It probably put a ton of pressure on a nerve as well as cut off circulation just enough to give it some time or trouble perfusing.

[Cidp24]

Let sleeping drunks lie. (JK)

I knew a guy got a nerve tweaked in handcuff training. Something about his ulnar nerve. It made his fingers numb but he was the cuffee, not the cuffer. It stayed that way a couple of months.

[keith720]

You're probably going to end-up as a chicken-winged gimp now.

[Xiphos]

I don't wear my ring and the dude was sleeping in a taxi. I had to get him out. All the sternum rub did was piss him off.

[Xiphos]

You're probably going to end-up as a chicken-winged gimp now.

Just like you. Greaaaat....

[MacLean]

You can have a temporary nerve impingemet like that. I've had it, it goes away.

You need to go see the doc if it turns white or is paler than the rest of your hand.

[ChesCopPodz]

Gotta be careful with the tendons in your hand. May want to have it checked out just in case. When I jacked my thumb up last year, I was told that if the tendons running on the top and bottom of your fingers are injured, you'll be fine. If the ones on the sides of the finger, the ones that stabilize the knuckle from the sides are injured, it's usually career ending and at the very least, you need surgery and major rehab.

[Ducky]

From Finger Injuries Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention by eMedicineHeatlh.com

Nerve injuries

• Sensation to the finger is supplied by two nerves, one running along each side of the finger.
• Damaging the nerve can cause numbness on the side of the finger supplied by the nerve.

....

When to Seek Medical Care


Because the hand is a finely coordinated tool that must function correctly for so many everyday activities, even a relatively minor finger injury can lead to some loss of function. If in doubt, consult a doctor. Also contact a doctor if the patient is not sure whether they have had your tetanus immunization in the last 10 years. Always see medical care if the following occur:

• If there is severe pain or deformity
• If there is uncontrolled bleeding
• If there is numbness (loss of sensation)
• If the finger is pale or bluish in color
• If there are exposed bones or tendons

[Buttercup]

The only advice I can offer is to get it checked out. I hope it's feeling better soon.

[bayern]

Hope it wasn't "your trigger finger."

[Jks9199]

Get it checked out -- but you might try icing it tonight, as well as an anti-inflammatory. May just be some swelling pressing the nerve...

[jmur5074]

Since it happened at work, I'd absolutely go in, along with doing a first report of injury if you haven't already. It's a work related injury, make sure your employer covers it.

[Xiphos]

I told my sgt tonight about it. I'll come in on Monday and fill out the workers comp paperwork if I need to get it checked.

[Jenna]

I told my sgt tonight about it. I'll come in on Monday and fill out the workers comp paperwork if I need to get it checked.

Hope you heal quickly.

[ChesCopPodz]

I told my sgt tonight about it. I'll come in on Monday and fill out the workers comp paperwork if I need to get it checked.

Scratch the "if I need to get it checked". Do it anyways. That way if it deteriorates months later, you're covered. If you don't do the paperwork, and it gets worse to the point that it needs care, workers comp will tell you to shove it if you hadn't done the paperwork now.

[jmur5074]

Scratch the "if I need to get it checked". Do it anyways. That way if it deteriorates months later, you're covered. If you don't do the paperwork, and it gets worse to the point that it needs care, workers comp will tell you to shove it if you hadn't done the paperwork now.

Very possible.


A co-worker of mine never got a knee injury covered after slipping on ice one night.

He slipped and felt some pain in his knee, but felt it was just a bruise and would go away shortly. Then a day, two days, three days went by...and the pain never went away.

I can't recall what his actual injury was, but a week after his injury he filled out his first report of injury and went to the doctor. He had to fight for workers comp coverage for several months to get his medical bills paid because he waited a week before doing his first report of injury. His fall was even caught on one of our dash cams and workers comp still fought it out.

[IndianaFuzz]

I say, if it happened on duty.....file the right paperwork and go see a doctor regardless, on the dept's bill. Or at least document the injury in whatever way required, just in case. If its nothing, no big deal. If its something serious, then you can be covered under workers comp. It would suck if you blew it off thinking it was a big nothing that would go away, only to find out its serious....too late. Does your dept have a time limit for filing an on duty injury?

[Jks9199]

One more thing to consider... I know a guy who ended up with permanent damage to a nerve in his wrist because he figured "it'll get better in a couple days." By the time he got checked out by a doctor, the nerve had retracted deep into his arm, and couldn't be reattached.