muscle dystrophy...

I was in a car accident in 2003 which left me a quadriplegic. I have complete use of my right hand, but very limited left hand finger movement. does anyone have any ideas or recomendations on things I can do to regain use of my fingers?? I want to thank you all ahead of time for your opinions, as they would be a world of difference!!!!!!!!


This discussion is related to Hand Atrophy???.

[ggreg]

Well, honestly, if your accident was almost ten years ago, and you still cannot use those fingers on the left hand, there's a pretty good chance you will not ever regain use of them, I'm sorry.  It is not uncommon for people to be able to use one side better than the other.  However, even tho it's a small chance, it could be if you would have your doc refer you to a physical therapy group, they might can work on that with you and help you try to regain motion.  Another suggestion is, since the spinal cord and thus nerves that come out from there are what affect the way your hands are doing, COULD be the left side nerves are somehow more damaged for some reason, in which case a scan ordered by a neurologist could determine if anything can be done, perhaps surgically, to reenervate any left side spinal nerve problem.  Also, assuming ANYthing can be done, lots of very warm tub baths and weekly massages of your upper back, neck, arms and hands could help.  Those would be my thoughts, with physical therapy at the top of the list.

I am sorry this has happened to you, I was in a bad car accident many years ago and tore up my back, and to this day it affects me, but fortunately I can walk and use my body in a fairly normal way.  I sometimes think there MUST be some way to make it stop hurting like it has all these years, but car wrecks, gosh, they really do a number on a person.  I wonder if you have an assistance dog, they can do all sorts of stuff to help you out.  When my back got to bothering me a whole lot worse, about five years ago, one of my dogs paid attention to this and would come over to where I laid on the couch, and she'd let me lean on her to get up, it was just second-nature to her.  Of course, unscrewing the cap off a milk bottle, I don't think she could do that for me.  Smile.  But here's hoping you keep trying to get yourself a little better here and there, it sure can't hurt.  

[RobM26]

hey greg, thanks for your response! I know its been ten long long years of this sh*t.(not sure if I can curse...) I am coming to that conclusion more and more everyday! but I am one of those 4th quarter, 10 seconds left, down by seven with one chance left for a hail mary type of guys!! I won't stop fighting or stop trying until the bell rings! I appreciate your answer. to attempt to help answer your question, you ever think about or try electro therapy?? try this link for help!
http://www.google.com/#sclient=psy&hl=en&source=hp&q=electrotherapy+for+back+pain&pbx=1&oq=electrotherapy+for+&aq=1&aqi=g5&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=0l0l1l75l0l0l0l0l0l0l0l0ll0l0&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=7d86af9665111856&biw=1008&bih=601
ummm, try copying and pasting!
good luck with your pain!!

[ggreg]

I've heard of those TENS units, thanks for the link.  Next time I see my neurologist, I'll mention it to him.  My back hurts in two places, the thoracic spine between the shoulder blades, and then in the lower lumbar spine.  Could be that electrical stimulation might help.  What I need is a continuous morphine drip!  Smile.  I've tried two stronger opiates than what I am on (in addition to the Lyrica).  One I was on for several months and it goofed up my sleep and upset me.  There was the other one I tried and I think I did a little better with that one, but I was only on it for a couple weeks, so I can't be sure.  I took both of them whilst doing cancer treatments and didn't pay close enough attention.  Anyway, when I talk to my neuro, I'm going to tell him things are getting worse and see what he wants to do.  I hope you can get those fingers to work better, and I later wondered if some sort of brace on your hand would help you grip things better.  

[RobM26]

gregg, I was wondering, what kind of brace are you thinking of to help grip things better?? that would be a hell of a lot of help!

[ggreg]

Well, that brace would be one that would hold your paralyzed fingers/thumb in place, so when you moved your good fingers, they could push against the braced fingers, and you'd have something of a grip.  I think there's a leather type thing that goes from your hand and out to your paralyzed fingers, and probably titanium to make the glove-like part be stiff, and leaving your good fingers out, and it somehow buckles to the wrist.  I think if you went back to a hand doctor, or a sports injury doctor, they might know about such an item.  I guess I've seen them on people who have broken some fingers and this splint thing holds the busted ones still, and it just occurred to me that a similar device might give you just enough to push again with your good fingers to give you some sort of grip.  Then again, could be it won't work at all.  GG

[RobM26]

going back to one of you last comments, I think I might just request a morphine drip....haha!!! you think if I ask a neuro docter, they might have an idea?

[ggreg]

No morphine drips for walking and talking humans!  Smile.  Besides, that won't help your paralysis.  A neurologist might could get you into some more physical therapy, and he can check to see if you have a pinched nerve that is goofing up your other fingers, rather than it being from your spinal cord injury.

[RobM26]

thanks ggregory!!!! ;)