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Numbness 18 months after head injury... is this permanent?

Posted , 8 users are following.

cocobanjo
cocobanjo

Male, early thirties.  Head injury occurred in May 2013.  Fell off bike (wearing helmet thankfully).  But the knock was severe and I had concussion.  A few days later I noticed that the entire right hand side of my body from head to toe was numb.  I mean exactly half of my body including the right half of my genitals.  When I say numbness, I mean a reduced appreciation of light touch.  I also experienced severe sensitivity to bright light, reduction in hearing in right ear (high frequencies), my eye muscles on my right side are weak (probably because of the numbness) because I was getting double vision when looking to the extreme right/left/up/down, the right side of my face slightly drooped (including slight eyelid droop), my speech is sometimes slurred, the right side of my tongue droops, I can barely feel my teeth on my right side.  I can barely feel my right foot touching the ground and I dont feel like I'm moving it forward by the same gait as my left leg.  I'm right handed and when I'm not looking at something I make mistakes e.g. I'd been very good at touch-typing but not since the accident - I need to be looking at what im pressing with my right hand.  All of these symptoms get worse when my body is tired, such as after excercise, late at night or when I've been sat at computer desk for a number of hours, or after 4-6 units of alcohol.  I am lucky in that I do not normally experience any headaches, but after the accident I experienced the most awful headaches I could have imagined.  These have since drastically reduced in frequency and severity.  This is almost the 18th month after the accident, and the 'numbness' remains.  I believe that this sensory reduction on my right side is the reason for the double visison (which now only occurs when I look in an extremely downward direction), poor hearing (persistent reduction in hearing high frequencies - often only hearing 'muffled' sounds), slight change in gait of right leg, bright light sensitivity issue (mainly white lights/the sun), and slurred speech.  I still can't 'feel' for things in the same way as I used to, and in the same way as my left side.  When I smile, it looks like I'm smiling more on my left side than my right side e.g. my face is not symettrical. 

I didn't realise it at the time, but I appear to have chipped a bone in my right hand (right side of hand) at the same time.  My right hand is still permanently slightly swollen but only gives a short sharp deep pain every so often (like once a week).  Also, after excercise (running and cycling) I noticed that the lymph nodes on my right side swell up - particularly so near my right hip.

My question is, now that 18 months have passed, I now assume that these issues are permanent... would I be right in thinking that?

2 likes, 8 replies

8 Replies

  • SteV3
    SteV3 cocobanjo

    Posted

    Hi Cocobanjo,

    Sorry to here about the accident, numbness is usually associated with a neurological issue. Believe me, I have seen many top world Consultant Neurologist over the decades.

    If I were you I would get your Doctor, to refer you back to see a Consultant Neurologist - they may do a full check over, to get a better diagnosis and obviously put your mind at rest.

    Your last question asking about issues being permanent - this really depends on the diagnostic report from a Consultant Neurologist. Some nerve conditions can be cured, others controlled to a certain extent, while others can take months or even years to fully recover. I have had operations whereby the main part took a month, but to fully recover it was nearly a year, even now which is nearly 3 years later I get pains but not what I would class as bad.

    Anyway, I wish you all the best, and if hear anymore - I would like to hear how you got on.

    Regards,

    Les.

  • mike1959
    mike1959 cocobanjo

    Posted

    Les is right, you need to see a Neuro but I would stress even more urgently.. Your symptoms sound very similar to a slight Stroke, especially with the headaches.. Another issue, you may have damaged a nerve in your neck as this can also result in numbness as well.. My money is on some kind of brain injury, and a Neurologist is your best medical specialest to help sort this out for you..

    Do try and be positive and worrying won't bring any answers either..!

     All the very best of luck and do get back to us with any findings, we might be of some further support if need be..  

       

     

  • cocobanjo
    cocobanjo

    Edited

    Thanks a lot guys.  Personally my opinion is that in the days immediately after the incident occurred I think I may have had a 'mini stroke'.  But the GP and hospital weren't concerned at the time and just asked me to rest (and let me tell you I did plenty of resting lol).  As we're 18 months on my only concern is that these issues are permanent.  I think if there was any risk of a bigger or full blown stroke that it would have occurred by now?  

    I'll make an appointment with the doc next week and let you know how things progress in due course.

    Cheers!

    • yvonne15472
      yvonne15472 cocobanjo

      Posted

      I was a pedestrian in a car accident 3 months ago, whereby I was reversed into whilst cross a main road. I have been diagnosed with post concussion and I have alot of symptoms. I am waiting to see a neurologist. I agree with the other people who've replied to you, in that you need to insist on seeing a neurologist again. I know it's difficult with the way the NHS is cutting back all the time on the standard of our healthcare, but I would be very insistent if I were you in battling for the entitlement to not only see a neuro but to get some scans done when you do. Nag, nag, nag - that's the only way with the NHS GP's now, don't let them shrug you off! It doesn't really work anymore in the context it was set up in originally to care responsibly for us as patients. It's just a business now to handle us all as cheaply as possible. Their motto is "never mind the quality feel the width". Eventually only the people who are wealthy enough to pay for medical treatment they really need will receive it and those with private health insurance.
    • SteV3
      SteV3 cocobanjo

      Edited

      It does sound like you need an MRI Scan at least and a full report of the scan by a Neurologist, ask your doctor to refer you - if he or she does not refer you, ask to see another doctor. You need a MRI Scan done ASAP.

      What I just noticed is you said you may have had a "mini stroke" but what you have stated in your first post, and in the one above relates to a trauma normally caused by an accident. What happens after this, and takes about 5-7 days later is scarring would be showing this would cause an abnormal amount of Glosis to form (this is the fluid that your brain and spinal cord is protected by.

      You really do need to see a Neurologist, I never have any problems getting to see any of my Neurologists or the Team leader, I actually phoned the hospital just last week for an appointment at the end of January and again at the beginning of February. I guess it depends on your doctor. My Doctor is actually a female, but her husband works in the same hospital I attend, as a Neurologist - and yet I have never met him yet!

      Hope everything goes well for you.

      Regards,

      Les.

  • tiswas24537
    tiswas24537 cocobanjo

    Posted

    see you gp hun dont like the sound of this . get it checked out properly
  • yvonne15472
    yvonne15472 cocobanjo

    Edited

    Were you insured when you fall off your bike as regards the injuries you suffered? Even if it was entirely your own fault surely you could have made a claim on your bike insurance, or was this possibly something you didn't think of doing at the time. I know with post concussion syndrome I have been told it can last years. Did you seek any legal advice at the time the accident happened at all? I realize this doesn't make your pain any better, but on the whole money's always useful and perhaps you could have afforded if nothing else to see a good specialist to investigate your injuries. Did you ask at the time to have any scans authorised by your GP and if not are there scans you can still have? Have you looked in to it all thoroughly enough as regards how willing the NHS is to get to to the nitty gritty of the problems you still have? I do think you need to see a neurologist if you are allowed to do, as I know with all the NHS cutbacks it is proving to be difficult even just to get an appointment with the GP you are registered with nowadays never mind get a referral! All the best and I'd be interested to know if you succeed in persuading your GP to find out what is the long-term scenario for you with all of this and if he's willing to try and help you. Yvonne.
  • tonyG11
    tonyG11 cocobanjo

    Edited

    Hello there..

    On May 2005 I was cycling home when a car hit me.

    I don't remember anything about the accident but I know that I was in coma for a week and they kept me in hospital for another 2 weeks after I woke up.

    Apparently I had brain injury (brain bleeding). I had exactly same symptoms like yours. From head to toe right side of my body is mumbles, less sensitive. First I was having hard time to adjust, for example in middle of night I'd touch my own right and freak out thinking it is somebody else's hand. Or I'd have a brief confusion when I approach a door and try to decide how to open the door.

    Never went back to doctor after I got out of the hospital. As time past I learned to live with it.

    Fast forward 12 years tonight I came home and I felt numbness on my right side bothering me more. A quick search and came across with your post.

    Hope you doing better now.

    If you still feel numbness seak a treatment don't think that time wil heal it.

    I believe this is something to do with accumulated unwanted blood or fluids in some parts of the brain. Or some parts of brain not receiving enough blood, thus oxygen.

    I know that when I was in hospital my doctors were talking about brain surgery to stop bleeding. But since I didn't have insurance they didn't perform any surgery...

    Good luck..

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