Hand numbness

[Ovie]

I had my entire hand go numb, I'm talking dead weight, can't feel a thing, happen 7 days after my surgery. Rushed to the ER and they found nothing wrong, today, I'm 10 weeks post op as of yesterday, I had the same thing happen, and had me worried. My Cardiologist is out of town so I can't find any answers other than here, just wondering if this has happened to anybody else post op, and should I be worried?

 

[sarahsunshine]

Do you have any tingling at any other points in time? A trip to the chiropractor (if you are cleared) could ensure that your nerves in yoru neck, shoulder, elbow and wrist aren't being pinched. Neck and shoulder could be a big problem especially after OHS! Likely you need a little while longer in terms of healing, though, before going to the chiropractor.

BTW, how's the home situation going? Have you found work yet?

 

[Ovie]

I have an issue in my neck that has restricted me lifting things because it feels strange and kind of hurts, but that's on the right part of my neck and it's my left hand that's giving me issues. No tingling but wether its my shin or middle of my arm I feel like I have numbness in random spots, but they're not really numb, it's strange.

Home right now is stressful and a lot of drama that I'm trying to avoid, but it's not working too well. I have yet to find work because in my city the only places that I can find hiring are construction, and that's not going to work out.

 

[epstns]

Ovie - I'm not sure if this is similar to your situation or not, but I'm about 14 months out from surgery and still occasionally get tingling and numbness in part of one hand, along the "heel" of the hand, between the bottom of my thumb and the wrist. My docs seem to think that this may be a lingering result of how they twisted and positioned my body during surgery. They expect that over time it will subside. As long as it only happens for short periods of time and does not seem to constitute a loss of physical ability, I'll wait it out. Not sure what I would do if an entire limb went numb.

 

[Jkm7]

What did the ER say caused the hand numbness the last time?
Do you think it could be the same thing this time?

 

[TheGymGuy]

Do you have any tingling at any other points in time? A trip to the chiropractor (if you are cleared) could ensure that your nerves in yoru neck, shoulder, elbow and wrist aren't being pinched. Neck and shoulder could be a big problem especially after OHS! Likely you need a little while longer in terms of healing, though, before going to the chiropractor.

BTW, how's the home situation going? Have you found work yet?

I agree with Sarah 100%. See a chiropractor or an A.R.T. specialist and see if they can work on the tissues and look for impingement. Can you trace exactly what you did before hand. Impingements and their effects can be triggered by things like shrugging or even straining your neck for a minute.

 

[yotphix]

Hi Ovie,

That pain on one side of your neck could easily cause a compensatory contraction on the other side which causes and impingement. I have a small bone spur on the left side of my (i think) C5 which, when the right side of my neck seizes up, causes my left hand to go numb. A chiropractor for one or two visits usually sorts me out.

Oddly enough, I had this problem years ago, (it was part of what led me to visit the doctor who initially noticed my 'murmur' which led to my BAV diagnosis). One of the specialists I was sent to was a neurologist, who after considering my history, which included 'aura' or visual migraine, suggested that it may actually be another sort of migraine symptom. He said it was even more rare than visual migraine, but that it was well documented. I've since learned that most of the time an 'adjustment takes away the numbness, so it probably wasn't true in my case. Perhaps that's another cause to consider though?

Paul

 

[Ovie]

When I went to ER they didn't have an answer, also it's my entire hand that goes numb, I can't hold onto anything, completely useless. It passed within about 20 mins.

I had just eaten breakfast, it was nice out so I went and sat on my porch and 5 mins after being out there it started as tingling and just crept down to my wrist and stopped.

I'm absolutely terrified of chiropractors to be honest, plus my sternum isn't healed yet, wouldn't that be bad? I was thinking of seeing a Neurologist due to some odd pains deep in my neck that have recently caused issues. This is only the second time in 10 weeks, but it was identical to last time.

 

[Just ASK]

I, too, have episodes of 5-10 minutes wherein my hands (usually just one) will do the same thing. Still 100% functional, just completely numb. It occurs maybe 2x a week. I just chalk it up to another "one of those things" and unless the frequency or duration increases I just deal with it. Luckily I am a desk jockey - Financial Analyst - and not an F-15 pilot so I am not really impaired to the point where I feel the need to investigate further. I figure at 46 years old, the bumper-to-bumper warranty is long expired and I'm now only covered for driveline and emissions failure...