Orbital fracture surgery and numbness. Any suggestions?

Question

Hello, I just went for an orbital floor reconstruction. I had no numbness before and now, after 2 days, I can't feel my cheek, nose and part of my lip. I heard this can take 6 to 2 years to disappear. From your experience, can this numbness stay forever and is there a way to make this disappear? The itch is killing me :) Thanks for your answers! Best regards

Christian L. Stallworth, MD · Answer

dibeloni-Your numbness is very typical for patients undergoing repair of the orbital floor.  The infraorbital nerve passes along and then through the orbital floor, exiting the bone below the orbital rim.  This provides sensation to the midface - all of the areas your feeling numbness.  As long as the nerve was not cut, the sensation will actually return in a matter of weeks to months.  Should not take years.  Itching is a good sign - you can actually experience itching, tingling, and electrical sensations in the skin which all mean the nerve is awakening.  Stay patient and know that you should make a full recovery.

Vivek Bansal, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question. The numbness can be permanent, but not very often.  Most of the time, this resolves with no long term issues. I hope this helps!

Orbital fracture surgery and numbness. Any suggestions?

Answers (2)

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