What Causes Painful Numb Wrist After Nerve Injury?

Posted on Mon, 5 May 2014

Question: A few months ago I was having my blood drawn in the right ac fossa when I felt a sharp electric shooting pain down my arm. This quickly subsided. Three days later I began getting a burning sensation in my wrist when I would straighten my arm and I could duplicate the original electric like pain by pressure on the ac fossa. It got significantly worse requiring NSAIDs. After five days of PT it resolved. Two months later I began experiencing aching in my wrist and early fatigue in my wrist thumb and pointer finger when used. Taking a shower Is excruciating when water droplets hit my wrist. Significant flexion or extension is painful. When I pull the soft tissue on the anterior aspect of my forearm proximal it feels like XXXXXXX electrical sensations across my wrist. My PCP is very nonchalant and doesn't thing anything is permanently wrong. I am concernd that the slow approach will result in a lack of treatment that is beneficial.

Answered by Dr. Sweta Singla (1 hour later)

Brief Answer: It may me Complex regional pain syndrome Detailed Answer: It seems like you had a minor nerve injury while the blood was being withdrawn and that initially resolved but what happens in few cases that the pain perception in the sensory parts of the brain is altered and the even the normal stimuli are perceived as painful stimuli. It is called Complex regional pain syndrome. It may be controlled but treatment is difficult in many cases. Nerve conduction study for documentation or ruling out the nerve injury should be done. Please consult your local neurophysician who might give you some neuralgic pain killers and help you in managing your pain.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Shanthi.E