numbness after surgery

[aaa222]

I had my decompression surgery on feb. 16 and was readmitted to the hospital one week after being discharged for a csf leak from my dura patch. I had a second surgery yesterday to repair it and woke up with the back of my head   numb. I had no numbess after my first surgery and the doctor said the didnt cut anything this time. All they did was repair the leak and washout the area inside. I did have a cut on the side of my head from the halo during the first surgery that required six stiches during the secondd surgery. Is this normal and does it go  away?

[Emme80]

I'm learning a LOT about numbness, weird sensations and LOTS of pain...and the Greater Occipital Nerve(and so many other nerves that can get damaged/injured during this surgery). Those nerves can cause numbness or pain.. Sometimes both. It's all very interesting, but not fun when you're in it, as you know.
Mad mentioned above, numbness is very common.. Has your Doctor talked to you about the Occipital Nerve? (I'm not saying that's what's going on w/you.just mentioning it as I just went through some in depth talks w/a Dr. about pain & numbness and the occipital nerve. I got and occipital nerve block as well as trigger point injections. No help thus far. But, anyways, just a thought, as I didn't know how greatly this "Greater Occipital Nerve" can play a part in numbness and/or pain)
Hugs 2 U!
~emme~

[selmaS]

  Hi and welcome to the Chiari forum.

Most here are dealing with issues due to surgery for Chiari not their eardrums...but any surgery can cause trauma to the whole body including hair loss.

The numbness is also very common, may I ask do you continue to have the numbness and hair loss? At this point it should have subsided for both.

[Na_C]

I had a tympanoplasty surgery in 2012 and i still have little numbness througout my scalp. I also started to loose my hair and hairfall went from bad to worse.
Asked the doctor, but he said it is quite common. I don't know what is wrong.

[zygy2]

I am more than 7 months post op and the back left side of my head is still numb and weird feeling.  It did not last this long with the first surgery and the first one was the right side of my head.  It is weird but does not hurt so I just keep hoping it will eventually go away.  It is an odd feeling though and I don't like people to touch my head!!!!  ( I have had three surgeries so I guess numbness is expected) still have my leak (pseudomeningocele) so maybe there will be a 4th.

[aaa222]

They said there was a small leak between two stiches

[selmaS]

  The numbness could be bcuz it was a short time btwn surgeries and the drugs used.....they do build up and stay in ur system for a while....so I wonder about that....

  Did they say y u had a leak, did a stitch break open?

[linnielou232]

I also had a CSF leak  but mine didn't acure until 8 wks post op which the doctor said is unusual.  I'm sure it will be sore for a while. As my NS told me that when they go in to repair they have to move the muscle in the back of the neck.  Please be careful and no lifting, bending, pulling or having hard bowel movement's which cause more leaks.  Your in my prayer's and in my heart hoping for a good recovery.  

[aaa222]

I have a bovine patch annd after coming back to the doctor for drainage they watched me in the hospital for two days and it was still leaking so the wanted  to remove the pocket of fluid because they said it could cause infection. I also live five hours away from my doctor and he didnt want to send me home that far away not being sure if it would continue to leak. How far up does the numbness go, mine isnt just around my incision it is the whole back half of my head. And how long does it take to go away? It didnt happen after my first surgery, the decompression, just the second.

[selmaS]

  Hi...so sorry u r dealing with post op set backs....but we all have had a different situation post op...and some numbness is not uncommon.

  May I ask what type of dura patch they used?

  And what symptoms of a leak u had that they took u in for a repair so quickly, I am asking as we do have others with leaks and the drs wait longer b4 going in and I wondered what ur situation was.

   "selma"

[Sexybare]

I had a huge gash on left side just above my ear from the vice. 7 mo later its still there and hurts. As for the csf leak im not sure. Hope you are feelin well. I had numbness around scar fir many months.