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What Causes Tingling And Numbness In My Hands After Taking Herion?
Question: I was shot with herion against my will when passed out a party I woke up and had tingling and numbness in my hands and noticed an inability to lift heavy objects and some numbness in forearm I went to doctor and was given sterioids and muscule relaxers I also was born with cerebral palsy it has been about a week since incident I have some numbness in thumb and index finger and forearm. I also can't seem to flex my bicep on the affected arm I have an appointment with a nuerologist on Monday but from what I can tell it may be radial nerve damage. I was injected in both arms but only the right arm has the weakness and other symptoms this was the painful injection that woke me up. I never have done herion before and I am curious if I can ever expect to recover. Again I have full range of motion just numbness in my thumb and index and inability to lift objects heavier than 3 pounds. Any advice is appreciated
Brief Answer:
Outcome should be good, NCS recommended.
Detailed Answer:
I read your question carefully and I understand your concern.
Since you yourself are suggesting a peripheral nerve damage it would have been useful if you indicated the site of the injection puncture. The possibility of it causing damage to an adjacent nerve can be estimated by that info.
Your symptoms do partially correspond to radial nerve damage when it comes to numbness of outer part of your forearm as well as of the index and thumb on the dorsal part of your hand. On the other hand the biceps weakness doesn't correspond to the radial nerve impairment as that muscle is innervated by another nerve the musculocutaneous one.
So I believe that to sort that out the neurologist (depending also on his findings on neurological exam) might ask for a test of the nerves and muscles on that limb called NCS/EMG (nerve conduction studies and electromyography). If there is damage to the nerve the test will show it and also indicate the severity of the damage.
I believe the outlook should be good anyway and the nerve will gradually regenerate within some months without any residual symptoms.
I don't think there is any central nervous system due to the heroin itself, its effects by a single administration would have cleared up by now.
I remain at your disposal for further questions.
Outcome should be good, NCS recommended.
Detailed Answer:
I read your question carefully and I understand your concern.
Since you yourself are suggesting a peripheral nerve damage it would have been useful if you indicated the site of the injection puncture. The possibility of it causing damage to an adjacent nerve can be estimated by that info.
Your symptoms do partially correspond to radial nerve damage when it comes to numbness of outer part of your forearm as well as of the index and thumb on the dorsal part of your hand. On the other hand the biceps weakness doesn't correspond to the radial nerve impairment as that muscle is innervated by another nerve the musculocutaneous one.
So I believe that to sort that out the neurologist (depending also on his findings on neurological exam) might ask for a test of the nerves and muscles on that limb called NCS/EMG (nerve conduction studies and electromyography). If there is damage to the nerve the test will show it and also indicate the severity of the damage.
I believe the outlook should be good anyway and the nerve will gradually regenerate within some months without any residual symptoms.
I don't think there is any central nervous system due to the heroin itself, its effects by a single administration would have cleared up by now.
I remain at your disposal for further questions.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
What if any restrictions should I have on physical activity is it okay if I run I don't plan on using my biceps or working out my arms but would like to know if it's safe to resume some exercise, also do you feel that having cerebral palsy will complicate the recovery process of the nerve. Based upon the limited information I gave you what is the likelihood if any that the damage will be permanent? Are there special dietary concerns or foods I should eat or avoid? In the rare event that there is permanent nerve damage demonstrated there any surgeries they can correct it? Furthermore should I be wearing a brace on my arm or anything of the like The two injections to my right arm occurred on the upper right side of the fore arm and on the upper right side of my bicep I can send pictures if you like. I'm very concerned that I have lost the ability to have a functioning bicep on my right side. I hope to recover fully do you think that's a possibility. Having been given the substance against my will only once I would assume that my body will be able to heal or you of the same opinion? Have you ever heard any accounts of hair one causing permanent irreversible nerve damage?
Brief Answer:
Read below.
Detailed Answer:
I'll try to answer all your questions in the same order you asked them:
- It is ok to resume physical activity as long as it’s nothing extreme (as much as the weakness you refer allows you to).
- No, cerebral palsy won’t affect healing of a peripheral nerve.
- I think there is little likelihood that the damage will be permanent, actually the damage has to be confirmed by nerve conduction studies and if there is damage it will show also the extent of it and allow a prediction.
- No particular recommendations on foods.
- Surgery won’t be needed, usually only when the nerve is severed, not your case certainly.
- No need to wear a brace or any other immobilizing means.
- I think the chances of healing are pretty good, so naturally I believe full recovery to be a possibility.
- The fact that the injection contained heroin doesn’t play any role in nerve healing (again if there is a nerve injury confirmed).
- I haven’t had or heard of any nerve injury due to heroin injection in my practice, only due to intramuscular injection of antibiotics in gluteal muscle, the possibility of a nerve injury by injections in the forearm is not likely at all, in your case it would be two nerves (radialis and musculocutaneous) which is even less likely, that’s why I’m stressing that it has to be confirmed by neurological exam and nerve conduction studies.
If those result negative psychological factors must also be taken into account.
I hope to have been of help.
Read below.
Detailed Answer:
I'll try to answer all your questions in the same order you asked them:
- It is ok to resume physical activity as long as it’s nothing extreme (as much as the weakness you refer allows you to).
- No, cerebral palsy won’t affect healing of a peripheral nerve.
- I think there is little likelihood that the damage will be permanent, actually the damage has to be confirmed by nerve conduction studies and if there is damage it will show also the extent of it and allow a prediction.
- No particular recommendations on foods.
- Surgery won’t be needed, usually only when the nerve is severed, not your case certainly.
- No need to wear a brace or any other immobilizing means.
- I think the chances of healing are pretty good, so naturally I believe full recovery to be a possibility.
- The fact that the injection contained heroin doesn’t play any role in nerve healing (again if there is a nerve injury confirmed).
- I haven’t had or heard of any nerve injury due to heroin injection in my practice, only due to intramuscular injection of antibiotics in gluteal muscle, the possibility of a nerve injury by injections in the forearm is not likely at all, in your case it would be two nerves (radialis and musculocutaneous) which is even less likely, that’s why I’m stressing that it has to be confirmed by neurological exam and nerve conduction studies.
If those result negative psychological factors must also be taken into account.
I hope to have been of help.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
After doing some research online I found some Causal reports of Herion induced acute neuropathy after injection doctors postulate that this may be due to toxins in the substance I am petrified that I will be forced to live on the rest of my life with this condition when I was given it against my will to begin with The report says that the patients to respond to steroids in much the same way I didn't respond to prednisone do you think that this will be a lifelong affliction I hope to recover
Brief Answer:
I don't think those reports are your case.
Detailed Answer:
If you refer to the same reports I have encountered they refer to neuropathy not related to the injection site itself, but to prolonged exposure to toxins which trigger an immune body response which damages the nerves. That auto immune response doesn't develop in the course of the same day it happens gradually in people who have been exposed to the toxin for some time. That is why I don't think that is your case.
Also it would be an improbable coincidence that this systemic auto immune response I described, by antibodies distributed by the blood in the whole body, affected precisely the nerves of the limb your were injected at.
If there is a nerve damage in your single use case, it would be due to direct injury to the nerve which as I said is not common at that injection site and should improve.
So try to relax, at least till you see the neurologist, if there is any damage the nerve conduction studies will show the extent.
I hope things work out for the best.
I don't think those reports are your case.
Detailed Answer:
If you refer to the same reports I have encountered they refer to neuropathy not related to the injection site itself, but to prolonged exposure to toxins which trigger an immune body response which damages the nerves. That auto immune response doesn't develop in the course of the same day it happens gradually in people who have been exposed to the toxin for some time. That is why I don't think that is your case.
Also it would be an improbable coincidence that this systemic auto immune response I described, by antibodies distributed by the blood in the whole body, affected precisely the nerves of the limb your were injected at.
If there is a nerve damage in your single use case, it would be due to direct injury to the nerve which as I said is not common at that injection site and should improve.
So try to relax, at least till you see the neurologist, if there is any damage the nerve conduction studies will show the extent.
I hope things work out for the best.
Note: For further guidance on mental health, Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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