Broken Glass sliced my wrist, Will I ever be able to use my hand again?

by Lucy
(England)

I fell over on broken glass a month and half ago .. It sliced open my hand on the palm where the crease is on the round bit? I had stitches but ever since I cannot bend have no sensation in middle finger and the finger next to it ( near my thumb) they are so weak and really cold I cannot grip I can't write and have constant tingling.


I have to put pressure on it to use it I went hospital and the doctor hasn't said much and I'm worried he is sending me to have a nerve test and an MRI scan I will get results in 6 weeks do you think it's repairable!

I'm so scared do you think I should keep trying to move my fingers or will it do more damage? Thank you so much for your help.



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Joshua Answers:

Hi Lucy.

Ouch.

The question is, was the nerve cut, or wasn't it.

In Carpal Tunnel Syndrome situations, and really any time there's numbness issues, doctors regularly throw out the threat of
Nerve Damage.

But just because there's loss of sensation, even loss of mobility/strength, that doesn't necessarily mean there is actual nerve damage.

Nerve compression can cause the same symptoms.

Having said that, if
you can't move your fingers at all, that's not a good sign.

Tendonitis is a variety of factors. The relevant on for you here, is, connective tissue.

When there's a cut, and the cut heals, connective tissue literally knits together. When it does that, connective tissue structures shorten, get tighter, and essentially 'compress down'.

Long story short, the trauma causes muscles to tighten also.

See: What Is Tendonitis

So while it's possible that between swelling and connective tissue constriction the nerve is being impinged, I need more information to be able to even guess.

QUESTION:

1. How deep was the cut?

2. How much attention did the doctor pay to the cut? Did they investigate, or just stitch it up?

3. Did you have loss of sensation and movement before you got stitched up? Did the doctor test that?



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Joshua Tucker, B.A., C.M.T.
The Tendonitis Expert
www.TendonitisExpert.com






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Comments for Broken Glass sliced my wrist, Will I ever be able to use my hand again?

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Apr 08, 2017
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Cut hand open on glass!
by: Anonymous

When I had my first operation which wasn't until a year later after the fall. I had Lots of physiotherapy to loosen the fingers as I didn't use them much.

The surgeon said one half of the nerve was missing! So cut it in half. Had lots of phsyiotherapy for a few years but after first surgery I am left with a swan neck finger. I then had another surgery as not much improvement but they couldn't do much unfortunately.

I still do exercises at home every day on my fingers stretching or otherwise the fingers go stiff!


Thanks for your advice.


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Joshua Comments:

Well, stuff happens and we just get to deal with it (or not, as the case may be).

Daily stretching/mobility exercise is smart. Keep at that.

I'd be curious to see how the results of that stretching activity is over the course of a day, a week, a month, if you do it under hot running water (or in a 5 gallon bucket of hot water, or something).

The heat to A. reflexively bring in new blood and B. to 'warm up' the tissue (literally) which help it be more malleable and thus you could get more out of your efforts.
Apr 08, 2017
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Cut hand open on glass!
by: Lucy

Wow this brings it all back!! thank you for your reply. This was over 5 years ago now.

Unfortunately it was nerve damage and tendon damage and not fixed in the right amount of time.

2 operations later (long and complicated ones at that!) and I'm left with my fingers unable to move can't lift heavy stuff, (pain, pins and needles!) And Limited movement in my right hand.

Be careful with glass peoples.


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Joshua Comments:

Well, that's a bummer.

If it were just damaged tendon that's not the worst thing in the world and greatly rehabbable if not fully repairable (meaning, back to normal function).

Severed nerves, you're kinda hosed there.

If the surgery didn't line the nerves back up, then you're likely just out of luck.

Nerves grow/heal SLOWLY (with no guarantee of reattachment), so even if they had stuck the nerve ends back together, taking a 5-10 year recovery (partial to full) isn't uncommon. And that's if the nerves are stuck back together.


If you didn't have nerve damage immediately, but later developed the pin and needles and inability to move, then perhaps it's just nerve compression and downsides of tightness resulting from tendon/flesh reattachment, and in that scenario there's lots of hope for you.

Did the doctor see severed nerves? I'm guessing so if the cut was deep enough to sever tendons etc.
Apr 08, 2017
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Left thumb pain years after cutting left hand
by: Brandon R

I cut my left hand when I was 15 I have a laceration under my left thumb 14 stitches now 9 years later I'm getting a pain in my thumb my wrist my elbow and in my bicep. I constantly work with tools and use my hands constantly.

Can you please help?


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Joshua Comments:

Hi Brandon.

1. How deep was the cut?

2. How broad was the cut? (9 stitches covered how much distance?)

3. Any nerve damage?

4. A clean cut, or a rough cut?

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