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There are bundles of nerves close to your major veins, and if one of those nerves is nicked or punctured by the phlebotomist (the person drawing your blood), you could experience the following: The feeling of an electric shock during the procedure. Persistent pain in the arm. Numbness and tingling in the arm and hand.
How do I know if I have nerve damage from a blood draw?
Types of nerve injury sharp acute pain at venipuncture site. sharp shooting pain up or down the arm. sensation of pain that changes in severity depending on needle position. “pins and needles” sensation or an “electric shock” feeling traveling down the arm from the venipuncture site.
How does a doctor check for nerve damage?
CT or MRI scans can look for herniated disks, pinched (compressed) nerves, tumors or other abnormalities affecting the blood vessels and bones. Nerve function tests. Electromyography (EMG) records electrical activity in your muscles to detect nerve damage.
How often do patients obtain nerve damage from a blood draw?
Anecdotal reports of difficult access requiring multiple attempts often precede the nerve injury. When reviewing the blood donation population specifically, the incidence of nerve injury was found to be between 1 in 21,000 and 1 in 26,000 venipunctures.
What happens when a nerve is hit when drawing blood?
Too many attempts to draw blood result in a hematoma (blood trapped under the skin’s surface). This is accompanied by pain and numbness, which turns into permanent nerve damage. Dysesthesia (burning sensation) and paresthesia (a “pins and needles” sensation) may also occur.
Can giving blood cause nerve damage?
There are no studies showing how often patients are hurt during routine blood draws, but a 1996 study of blood donors (a larger needle is used in blood donation than in routine venipuncture) found that 1 in 6,300 donors suffered a nerve injury.
Can nerve damage be repaired?
Sometimes a section of a nerve is cut completely or damaged beyond repair. Your surgeon can remove the damaged section and reconnect healthy nerve ends (nerve repair) or implant a piece of nerve from another part of your body (nerve graft). These procedures can help your nerves to regrow.
How do you treat nerve damage from blood draw?
Unless it becomes infected (worsening pain and redness), ice packs and anti-inflammatory medications, such as Ibuprofen, are recommended. It should clear up in a few days, but if it does not, you might want to see a doctor. A more serious injury from a blood draw is nerve damage.
What are signs of nerve damage?
The signs of nerve damage Numbness or tingling in the hands and feet. Feeling like you’re wearing a tight glove or sock. Muscle weakness, especially in your arms or legs. Regularly dropping objects that you’re holding. Sharp pains in your hands, arms, legs, or feet. A buzzing sensation that feels like a mild electrical shock.
How do you know you have nerve pain?
10 Signs You May Be Suffering from Nerve Pain Numbness or tingling in feet and hands. Loss of balance and falling. Throbbing and sharp pain. Extreme sensitivity to touch. Dropping things with your hands. Muscle weakness. Heavy feeling in arms and legs. Dramatic drop in blood pressure.
What are the side effects of getting blood drawn?
Side effects bleeding. bruising. lightheadedness (especially after donating blood) rash. skin irritation from tape or adhesive from an applied bandage. soreness.
What does nerve pain in the arm feel like?
Nerve pain often feels like a shooting, stabbing or burning sensation. Sometimes it can be as sharp and sudden as an electric shock. People with neuropathic pain are often very sensitive to touch or cold and can experience pain as a result of stimuli that would not normally be painful, such as brushing the skin.
Why does my arm hurt so bad after blood draw?
This is completely normal and should not cause you any concern. Although bruising can be unsightly, it should resolve over the next few days without intervention. Very rarely, pain or discomfort in your arm, hand, or fingers can indicate inflammation of the arm, a tendon or nerve injury, or the puncture of an artery.
How long does it take for a nerve to heal?
Regeneration time depends on how seriously your nerve was injured and the type of injury that you sustained. If your nerve is bruised or traumatized but is not cut, it should recover over 6-12 weeks. A nerve that is cut will grow at 1mm per day, after about a 4 week period of ‘rest’ following your injury.
Can you get nerve damage from a needle?
Several mechanisms are associated with injection-related nerve injury; direct needle trauma, toxic effects of injected agents on nerve fibers and surrounding tissues, nerve compression due to hematoma or edema formation, and so on. Among them, direct needle trauma is the most frequent factor.
How do you treat nerve pain?
Treating Nerve Pain Topical treatments. Some over-the-counter and prescription topical treatments — like creams, lotions, gels, and patches — can ease nerve pain. Anticonvulsants. Antidepressants . Painkillers. Electrical stimulation. Other techniques. Complementary treatments. Lifestyle changes.
Why do I feel weird after getting blood drawn?
The most likely reason you felt sick to your stomach when you had your blood drawn is that your body was having a vasovagal reaction. This is a physical response from your nervous system. It can be triggered by seeing the needle, seeing your own blood, or just feeling anxious about the whole thing.
Does an MRI scan show nerve damage?
An MRI may be able help identify structural lesions that may be pressing against the nerve so the problem can be corrected before permanent nerve damage occurs. Nerve damage can usually be diagnosed based on a neurological examination and can be correlated by MRI scan findings.
How much B12 should I take for nerve damage?
Although treatment regimens of B12 injections vary, some doctors recommend injections of 1,000 micrograms (mcg) of vitamin B12 daily for five days followed by the same amount given once a week for five weeks, and then a lifelong dose of one injection per month, containing 100 to 1,000 mcg of vitamin B12.
What promotes nerve healing?
Typically, damaged nerve fibres of the central nervous system (CNS) in the brain, the optic nerve and spinal cord don’t have the ability to regenerate.
What happens if the median nerve is damaged?
If the median nerve is damaged, the ability to abduct and oppose the thumb may be lost due to paralysis of the thenar muscles. Various other symptoms can occur which may be repaired through surgery and tendon transfers.
Can a blood test damage your arm?
Every time you have a blood test or an IV line in your arm, it damages the veins. Repeated blood tests cause progressive scarring to your veins. Some people, especially those with kidney disease or diabetes, need a lot of regular blood tests, and their veins can get damaged over time.
