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Suggest Treatment For Numbness And Tingling In Right Small Finger And Palm

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Posted on Wed, 30 Sep 2015
Question: i had a laminectomy filling an accident in November 2013. Numbness and tingling in right small finger and palm as well as tingling on surface of right arm

Did a ferati tiny in XXXXXXX 2014 with no improvement

Is this condition treatable?? Steroids?? Another surgery on spinal cord around C6/ C7?

Pls advise. Thanks. XXXXXXX
doctor
Answered by Dr. Olsi Taka (3 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Damage should be chronic now.

Detailed Answer:
I read your question carefully and I understand your concern.

I am assuming that the foraminotomy procedure you have had was done for those same symptoms and at that C6-C7 level you mention, correct me if I am wrong.

In that case I am afraid that the damages sustained by the nerve root at that level are permanent. After such a long time I am afraid that there is scarce hope for nerve regeneration, there is no therapy which can do that at this stage.
Steroids are used at times at the initial stages of spinal injury, but have no place at this time (unless there is some new inflammation at a site other then the old one).
Surgery isn't likely to help either, the foraminotomy should have already removed the compression on the nerve root (although I hope that has been verified with MRI post surgery), the lack of improvement is because as I said some nerve fibers are irreparably lost and another surgery can't do much about that.

I remain at your disposal for further questions.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Olsi Taka (5 hours later)
Dr. Taka: Thanks for you prompt and to-the-point response.

Your assumptions are correct -- the feraminotomy was to correct the same problem and was done 14 months ago.

So there is nothing that can be done to kill the nerves at the spinal stem and so reduce the finger numbness??

If such were attempted would it impact muscle and other nerve functions in the hand?

Thanks.
XXXXXXX
doctor
Answered by Dr. Olsi Taka (2 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Read below

Detailed Answer:
Thank you for your feedback.

There are procedures like cryoablation (freezing the nerve) or radiofrequency ablation/neurotomy. They are done for patients with severe pain though not for simple numbness and tingling, as a last resort, aiding only a percentage of patients. Medication for neuropathic pain like anticonvulsants (pregabalin or gabapentin) or antidepressants (duloxetin, amitriptyline) are used first.

Also those procedures are usually done for peripheral nerves not for nerve root. Nerve root carries many fibers performing other functions which might be affected as you yourself imagined.

So if in your case the symptoms have been linked (based on imaging and nerve conduction studies) to the nerve root I would not recommend those procedures.

I am sorry if that is not what you were hoping to hear.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Olsi Taka (18 days later)
Thanks dr Olsi

Is taka if Japanese origin??

I have requested my surgical records from my CT neurosurgeon for another opinion here regarding my finger numbness.

Thought I'd try one more review before resigning myself to living with this for the next 5 years!!!
XXXXXXX

I just began taking Crestor because my total cholesterol is 229

A1C is still 5.9
XXXXXXX
doctor
Answered by Dr. Olsi Taka (42 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Read below

Detailed Answer:
Thank you for the feedback. Crestor is a very good drug for lowering cholesterol, that value needs treatment.

I or my colleagues would gladly review your records whenever you obtain them.

Looking forward to hearing from you again.

P.S. No asian ancestors, not that I know of at least, unlikely this part of the world. Taka is an Albanian word which if translated means the heel of the shoe....doesn't look as exotic now I guess.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Olsi Taka (1 hour later)
Dr taka: thanks. I will forward my records once I receive.
May need another MRI to validate prior surgeries
XXXXXXX
U.S. Taka a Muslim or Christian name??
doctor
Answered by Dr. Olsi Taka (6 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Neither

Detailed Answer:
It is neither, it is a word which is part of common language and doesn't have any relationship with religion. Albanian is an old language which is of a group of its own, stems from no other language group.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Olsi Taka

Neurologist

Practicing since :2004

Answered : 3673 Questions

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Suggest Treatment For Numbness And Tingling In Right Small Finger And Palm

Brief Answer: Damage should be chronic now. Detailed Answer: I read your question carefully and I understand your concern. I am assuming that the foraminotomy procedure you have had was done for those same symptoms and at that C6-C7 level you mention, correct me if I am wrong. In that case I am afraid that the damages sustained by the nerve root at that level are permanent. After such a long time I am afraid that there is scarce hope for nerve regeneration, there is no therapy which can do that at this stage. Steroids are used at times at the initial stages of spinal injury, but have no place at this time (unless there is some new inflammation at a site other then the old one). Surgery isn't likely to help either, the foraminotomy should have already removed the compression on the nerve root (although I hope that has been verified with MRI post surgery), the lack of improvement is because as I said some nerve fibers are irreparably lost and another surgery can't do much about that. I remain at your disposal for further questions.