I have a similar story. I had a thorn stuck under my thumb nail. It got infected and my thumb puffed up. The doctor who removed it gave me a couple of novacaine shots; one of which hit the nerve directly. After the novacaine wore off the entire side of my thumb remained numb. Over a period of months the numb area shrank. Now a year later I have only a tiny numb spot. I belive it is still healing and the numbness could vanish completley
Goerge