Video Update on Cut Radial Nerve Healing
Things are good! I've made a ton of progress, which you can see in this fancy video!
Turbo Arm
Hello everyone! Meet Turbo Arm! About a month ago my physical therapist made me this crazy custom brace, which I have taken to calling my turbo arm or bionic arm. The brace basically functions to pull the joint at the base of my finger up so I can extend my fingers and have more functionality. At first, I was hesitant to get the brace because it is rather giant and cost $300, but my physical therapist was insistent. I'm glad he was because I actually think the brace is awesome. I wear it between 2 and 4 hours a day (mostly at home or when I'm hidden away in my office) and it does help my hand function more like normal. Also, my physical therapist was telling me last Thursday that using the brace allows me to use my hand and fingers like I used to, which also prevents my brain from entirely remapping the use of my hand. Sounds kind of weird, but the nerve regrows so slowly that the brain can kind of forget how to use the hand like it did before. The brace will ho
Your blog is giving me hope! 27 y/o male. Severed radial nerve on July 22, 2018 from a glass window. The surgery was completed successfully and have been in great care @ UCSF since. No major improvements yet but your progress seriously makes me think it's going to be OK. You didn't lose any motor function of your wrist initially? Where on your arm was the laceration? Mine is exactly where it bends (interior of the elbow).
ReplyDeleteHi Noah, just seing your comment now. I'm so glad that you were able to have a successful surgery and have a good doctor. I have worked really hard to get where I am but over the past few weeks I have actually started to feel like my use of my hand and arm is almost back to normal. I'm getting there! Just keep on working on your stretches and once you get movement just keep doing your therapy and trying your hardest! And don't forget to get tons of sleep!
DeleteJust as an FYI, here are the things I did: physical therapy, got lots of sleep, started exercising and weightlifting as soon as I could, took flax seed oil and vitamin C, and ate a lot of fish and healthy food.
Noah, just saw your additional question about where my cut was. It was lower on my arm, kind of mid-forearm, so I didn't lose function of my wrist. That said, I have met people online who have cut their nerves higher and are recovering. It just takes longer, but I had full nerver recovery according to my doctor, around 6 or 7 months after my injury. Since yours is about 3 inches higher, it would probably be recovery after 9 or 10 months.
DeleteDid you have any significant muscle damage? The effects I still have are because of muscle damage, not nerve damage...
Hi Jeanne,
DeleteI was not told if I had any muscle damage...so I don't believe so. I have a big check-up appointment on Tuesday so will be sure to ask then. I started taking Flax Seed oil after your suggestion and B12 from my general doc's suggestion. Trying to get as much sleep as possible as well! Did you take Vitamin C pills or get it from your diet?
Another question I had was if you experienced any swelling in your hand as you recovered? Mine certainly seems swollen as of late. Another thing I plan to ask my dr. on Tuesday...
Have a great weekend and thank you!
ooh. And as your fingers were able to move again....did this just happen suddenly or was it a gradual process? In other words, did you just wake up with the ability suddenly after not having it?
DeleteDo you have CRPS? From the nerve damage?
DeleteHi There, I was lucky and my injury only affected my radial nerve meaning it didn't affect any sensory nerves and I didn't have any severe or chronic pain.
DeleteIs arm muscles shapes changes during recovery???
Deletehi jeanne
Deleteare you back to playing guitar.. ive just severed ulnar nerve about 3 inches above wrist.. its only been a few days but your blog gives us hope
Hi there,
ReplyDeleteI started my Joirney a couple of months ago. Around end of December.
I am gaining back my feeling and see that my muscles are forming. Though I cannot extend my wrist and fingers yet.
Would be great if you can share more about when you started gaining back the wrist and fingers. But also the signs you were seeing when you first started recovering
Hi Siso, I hurt my arm at the end of October 2017 and I started to gettin movement again in my pinky and ring finger in the beginning of March 2018. So basically it took 4 months to start getting movement in my fingers. I started to get a lot more movement over the following months.
DeleteThat said, I never had wrist drop because my injury is below my elbow.