Do i have nerve damage? i was cutting open a package earlier and the knife slipped and went into my index finger. my finger bled quite a bit, and ever since the incident my whole hand has been experiencing a cold and somewhat numb sensation. it has been c

A : A complete nerve transection will leave an area totally numb. The distribution of the numbers depends upon where the nerve was cut. A partial nerve injury may leave the area tingly or incompletely numb. Finally even if the nerve is not cut the swelling and bruising to the tea can affect the nerve as well. Usually we consider sharp penetrating injuries as likely having nerve lacerations when sensation is lost. A hand surgeon can examine the hand and pinpoint the site or extent of nerve injury and recommend surgical repair if needed.

In : In all likelihood you do. The digital nerves run up the sides of the fingers and are closer to the skin than the digital arteries. So if you cut an artery you would have had to cut the nerve. My guess from your description is that the injury is on the side of the index finger next to the long finger or maybe in the webspace between the fingers. Nerve repairs have the best results if they are done within 3 weeks of the injury. If you see a hand surgeon, he/she can easily diagnose whether you have cut a nerve.