Originally Posted by glenntaj

--this qualifies as neuropathy--neuropathy caused by nerve trauma/injury.

Of course, the prognosis depends on how much damage was done to the nerve or nerves--it's possible that what was hit was a small sensory nerve, thinly myelinated or unmyelinated. Damage to meylinated nerves had to be fairly extensive to show up on EMG/NCV studies--and tends not to show up reliably until about six-eight weeks after the damage process begins--and if unmyelinated nerves (the small-fiber ones that subsume the sensations of temperature and pressure) were involved, nerve conduction studies could not discover that at all, as those nerves are simply too narrrow to relibably measure; it might take some qualitiatiive sensory testing comparing that area with other parts of the hand to check that out.

Still, keeping the swelling down in the area, and perhaps some supplements as described in our Vitamins forum (B12 and other B-vitamins, D, fish/flaxseed oil, etc.) would give the best chance for repair.