Harm Reduction Friend thinks he pinched a nerve in hand

[blackjesus]

Hey guys, a friend of mine just called me very upset because he thinks he just pinched a nerve in his hand when injecting.

The long and short of it was this: he injected into his hand in a vein(artery?) that runs between the thumb and first finger and he says he registered and started to shoot, 1/4 the way thru was fine, but after that he felt a sharp pain in the thumb and first fingers followed by tingling/swelling/numb and he said a very visible "distinct line" splitting his first finger in half where there was red, normal looking skin, and stark white numb skin.

he said the thumb was completely white, and there was a visible distinction in the area of next to the fingers where it was stark white, and then regular pink/red skin. he said 10 mins later, that it feels like he slammed his fingers in the car door on accident type feeling.

I told him to take some ibuprofen and some benadryl. I also told him he should likely go to a doctor but he's worried because he has no insurance etc. Has anyone here dealt with a pinched nerve or can gauge as to what his issue might be?

ETA i forgot to mention he said he took 2x600mg motrin ibuoprofen and 4x25mg benadryl if that helps.

 

[anatomist]

Sounds like a neurological event with all the symptoms you are explaining. There is no use going to the ER or visiting the doctor unless he has somehow infected himself. When a nerve is traumatized with a needle like you have described all there is to do is treat the acute symptoms with ice 48-72 hours, don't use the site again and move the hand and arm through gentle movements everyday. NSAIDs may inhibit healing processes following an acute injury. Let him know that he will be ok.

 

[hatrix]

My brother pinched a nerve once, not exactly sure doing what though (nothing involving drugs), and he lost complete control of his hand. Couldn't use it at all and I believe that's what commonly happens with pinched nerves. You lose the ability to control the area around it and I believe it also has incredible pain. I also had a friend who pinched a nerve in his back and had to have surgery because of it. He was walking like a hunchback for a while.

Doesn't really sound like a pinched nerve to me but certainly some sort of neurological damage.