Hello,
Thank you for asking your query at DoctorSpring.
Sorry to hear about your injury.
I would like to know more about the numbness. Is it present all over the hand ? Or only on particular fingers (like the ring and little finger ?) . Are you able to move all the fingers ?
The injury seems to bit deep. What is visible is most likely not a nerve. It is a soft tissue sheath, which is of not big concern. From the picture the wound appears clean (or rather cleaned). The pain and swelling is due to the odema secondary to the injury. An infection is also possible. I assume you are taking antibiotics now.
Since the swelling is increasing you might need a change of antibiotics + a drainage (after evaluation). Keep the arm rested in a slightly raised position.
You can reply as a followup
Thank you
Patient replied :
Hi...
The numbness is on the ring and little finger. I am able to move the fingers but it just doesn't feel right..the fingers feel very tight..sometimes when I put my arm down to rest against something..when I push down to hard on the wrist or even with my hand..I feel like a shock just above my little and ring finger..you can see the muscle tighten right up on the hand...I was never given any antibiotics at all. I was just wondering if there was anything I could do about my right hand..due to the big lump I have a hard time bending the hand..the swelling had gone down quite a bit..until I tried gloves on and it swelled right back up. Thank You For Your Time..
Nicole
Hello Nicole,
For now you should rest your hand (avoid all outdoor activities ). Absolute rest. Keep the arm elevated even while sleeping using a pillow. Avoid gloves or any tight fitting materials. I would actually recommend getting in touch with your Doctor.
The symptoms in the ring and little finger is suggestive of "Ulnar nerve" damage / compression. While this is most likely due to the odema (swelling) than the original injury it should be looked into. Persistent pressure can cause nerve damage.
Discuss the possibilty of ulnar nerve involvement with your Doctor. Also you should enquire whether you need an antibiotic cover. I would generally prefer an antibiotic cover since you had an animal bite.
Hope this helps
Feel free to ask followups
Thank you