So for the last 3 weeks or so I've had sporadic numbness in my left pinky and ring finger, usually while at work. My doctor believes it to be ulnar entrapment - entrapment of the ulnar nerve, which runs the length of the arm and controls bloodflow to those two fingers.

I have an appointment with a neurologist on April 25th (the earliest possible) for an EMG to determine the location of the entrapment and its severity. From there, I will likely progress to surgery.

I'm lately feeling weaker in my left hand, strength and grip-wise. Just by feeling with my hand, I can tell my left wrist has lost some muscle/thickness.

Is this muscle/strength in my left arm gone forever? Or will it rebuild when I start working out again (obviously after the 3-4 weeks my doctor said recovery from surgery would take).

I'm horribly afraid of my left grip forever being weak, and getting stuck using straps for 135lb shrugs. :(

Also, time off the gym. :(

April 25?! And then wait to see the orthopedic doc?

My suggestion is to skip the neurologist and go to a hand specialist. This can either be an orthopedic surgeon, a plastic surgeon or a neurosurgeon. Whichever one, they have to be specially trained in hand.

The good part about peripheral nerves is that they grow back. Especially if the nerve was only injured- neuropraxia. As opposed to a cut nerve- axontemesis. The intact neural sheath serves as a railway for new nerves to grow back or heal. This however is slow.

I just ran a search on Cigna and found one other local neurologist, I will call tomorrow and try get a sooner appointment. If that doesn't pan out I will look into finding a specialist. Thanks for the advice.

Just make sure that whatever you have done that you find out whether your nerves will grow back. Permanent nerve severing is no good, even if it kills the pain ya know? I dont want to start a debate over chiropractic, but mine has done worlds of good for my similar issues (chronic headaches for years and now I have NONE for example). Just like any profession there are good ones and bad ones, see if you can get a referral to one from someone who had good results. Its amazing the things that a chiro can help with that you never would have thought of...and non-surgical as well...I avoid going under the knife whenever possible!

Hopefully he'll just do a nerve release. I don't believe cutting the nerve is a treatment for this.

Make sure you ask him how many of these procedures he does, what is the success rates and are there any alternatives to treatment. If the doctor balkes at answering any of these questions, get up and leave.

(chronic headaches for years and now I have NONE for example).

Was that trigeminal neuralgia?