I peeled potatoes on Sunday(8-10-14) and about 20 minutes after I was done my right pointer finger was kind of numb and had the sensation of being asleep. It still has not gone away.

It sounds like you have a pressure injury to the nerve. The sensation will gradually come back over the next 2-3 weeks. Nothing can be done, but give it time.

You probably use that hand for repetitive tasks; and if so could be carpal tunnel (you can google symptoms and solutions).

Peeling potatoes would not cause numbness, so there is an underlying cause. Perhaps job related. Keyboard motion over a long period of time will cause nerve damage and has to be corrected or severe pain develops.

Symptoms of Carpal Tunnel usually do not occur that suddenly. Also, Carpal tunnel affects the median nerve, which supplies much more than just the index finger. A problem with the median nerve almost always involve the thumb and every finger but the 5th(little) finger. Give it time, the feeling will return. There is nothing serious that will cause isolated numbness of the index finger.

Google "Trigger Finger".

@AntC. No. It doesn't usually occur that quickly. It builds up to that. If you have never experienced that symptom, and are only giving a quasi diagnosis, how can you judge this ?

I treat and diagnose Carpal Tunnel on a regular basis. This is just my medical opinion. I certainly could be wrong. I have never had the condition. I also know that it affects everyone a little different, so having had it does not make one an expert.

I've been a sufferer of Index-Finger Numbness. Peeling sweet potatoes did it for me. To peel properly, your index finger will be in a certain (and firm) position on the peeler. To avoid numbness, take a short break after each potato and/or do some other job, such as slice the potatoes or remove the peels to the trash. Open and close that hand ten times before peeling another potato.

In the OP's case, a nerve in that finger or maybe the hand has probably been affected. If soaking the finger in hot water (while washing dishes?) and finger/hand exercises don't help, I'd go to my chiropractor.

May I also say numbness can have other causes. We do not know the OPs medical history. I think of a diabetic. Numbness in hands or feed need to be told to the family doctor. I thought we did not diagnose on here.
AntC you do not know the person's medical history,medication on, and are only taking the persons account of the numbness. The peeling of potatoes may or may not be related.

OP I suggest if it lasts longer than 24 hours a call to your family doctor is in order

I'm shocked that AntC, who claims to be a doctor, would offer an online diagnosis, especially since he can't possibly know the posters medical history, and not enough info was given to reach a diagnosis.

I have many friends that are doctors. One used to be a member of this site. Once he got his medical license he stopped posting here. Too great a risk to give medical advice online when you're an actual doctor. You could lose your license if something went wrong, or at the very least you could be sued for all you own.

There are rules about not diagnosing on this site. But, if AntC wishes to diagnose, and his diagnosis is wrong, AMHD is not accountable. That's in the rules and regulations. AntC alone is responsible for what he posts, and any future lawsuits that may come from a misdiagnosis, is his burden, not that of the site.

So all we can do is give the OP the proper advice, follow the rules and not diagnose, and hope that AntC learns to follow the rules as well. If not, maybe a lawsuit is in his future. Let's hope not for his sake. Hefty price to pay just because you refuse to follow the site rules.

I so want to give you a greenie for that Alty!