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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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What Can Cause A Numb Throbbing, Aching Pain In The Fingertips?

During night and morning my right hand, forearm down to fingertips, I have numbness, throbbing, aching pain. Keeps me up.at night and really hurts. Hurts to move fingers. This has been going on for quite awhile but has been getting worse. I was told to get appt with neurosurgeon to get MRI because it could have something to do with nerve damage even in spinal cord. What could be going on??
Thu, 15 Jun 2017
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Orthopaedic Surgeon,  's  Response
Hello,

I think you have carpal tunnel syndrome which is compression of the median nerve in the wrist. It gives numbness in the thumb, second finger, third finger and half of the ring finger. If your numbness is on the fifth finger and other half of the ring finger that is ulnar tunnel syndrome which is compression of other nerve (ulnar) in the wrist.

I would recommend to see a neurosurgeon or hand surgeon which will consult you and order nerve tests such as EMG and nerve conduction velocity studies. If these are the diagnosis, the initial treatment is non-operative with rest (splints, brace), anti-inflammatory drugs such as Ibuprofen. After 2 or 3 weeks if not better, I would do 2 cortisone injections around the nerve in the wrist region, 1 week apart from each other.

If not better after the cortisone injection then I would start to discuss surgery. The surgery can be done by a hand surgeon or neurosurgeon or orthopedic surgeon. This is the treatment plan.

Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.

Regards,
Dr. Edvin Selmani
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What Can Cause A Numb Throbbing, Aching Pain In The Fingertips?

Hello, I think you have carpal tunnel syndrome which is compression of the median nerve in the wrist. It gives numbness in the thumb, second finger, third finger and half of the ring finger. If your numbness is on the fifth finger and other half of the ring finger that is ulnar tunnel syndrome which is compression of other nerve (ulnar) in the wrist. I would recommend to see a neurosurgeon or hand surgeon which will consult you and order nerve tests such as EMG and nerve conduction velocity studies. If these are the diagnosis, the initial treatment is non-operative with rest (splints, brace), anti-inflammatory drugs such as Ibuprofen. After 2 or 3 weeks if not better, I would do 2 cortisone injections around the nerve in the wrist region, 1 week apart from each other. If not better after the cortisone injection then I would start to discuss surgery. The surgery can be done by a hand surgeon or neurosurgeon or orthopedic surgeon. This is the treatment plan. Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further. Regards, Dr. Edvin Selmani