Advice after your nerve block for surgery
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After an injury or operation, nerves within the skin can sometimes become overly sensitive. This can lead to the area becoming unpleasant, oversensitive or painful to touch.
You can reduce these feelings by deliberately bombarding the sensitive nerve endings (desensitisation). Desensitisation can take many weeks. The following techniques are methods of desensitising areas of the hand and can be used individually or in any combination.
Massage
Apply moisturiser to sensitive area. Using circular movements and tolerable pressure, massage over and around the sensitive area. Gradually increase the pressure.
Texture
Gently tap the sensitive area using fingers of the other hand or a pen. Gradually increase the pressure.
or / and
Stimulate sensitive area with a variety of textures beginning with the softest and least irritating (e.g., cotton wool) and gradually increase the coarseness of the texture
(e.g., denim / Velcro) as tolerance to touch improves.
Continue with each texture for 5 minutes, every hour.
Immersion
Fill a container with cotton wool, lentils, rice, macaroni, dried beans or something similar that is only just bearable for you to touch.
- Immerse your finger or hand into the material and work the hand through it for five to seven minutes.
- Once it becomes more bearable, change the texture.
Contact Details
If you have any concerns, or need to change your Hand Therapy appointment, please contact the Therapy Department on:
Frimley Park Hospital: 0300 613 3396
Heatherwood Hospital: 0300 614 0540 Option 3
Wexham Park Hospital: 0300 614 0540 Option 2
Contact us
If you have any queries relating to this information, please contact the Hand therapy service.
About this information
Service:
Hand therapy
Reference:
UU/024
Approval date:
19 February 2026
Review date:
1 February 2029
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Important note
This page provides general information only. It is developed by clinical staff and is reviewed regularly every 3 years for accuracy. For personal advice about your health, or if you have any concerns, please speak to your doctor.