What causes numbness in thumb after wrist fracture?
Patient: Hi I fell fully forward onto my hands/wrists about 10 weeks ago. Xray shows no fracture of my right wrist (the left is fine) but it it painfull to use, especially in a twisting action ie. open a lid of a jar etc. 4 weeks ago the tip of my thumb (outer aspect only) went numb suddenly and is still numb now. My GP said it will just go away by itself but i am worried it might be nerve damage? Do I need to see a physio? Doctor: Hi,Thanks for writing in.The hand and wrist is supplied by radial and ulnar nerves which originate from nerves in the neck. There are possibilities of the nerves supplying your hand getting pinched some where in their path causing pain and distress. If you never had a fracture then there is no significant injury to bones. However the injury to nerves cannot be ruled out without proper clinical examination. Also when doing a twisting action, there is complex movement at the wrist joint and that can cause pain because of ligaments getting stretched. It is best you see a neurologist and then check with your physiotherapist. Seeing a neurologist is more important because the tip of your thumb remains numb even after 4 weeks. A test like electromyography  and nerve muscle conduction might be required after clinical assessment.