The brachial plexus is a group of nerves that come from the spinal cord in the neck and travel down the arm. These nerves control the muscles of the shoulder, elbow, wrist and hand, as well as provide feeling in the arm. A brachial plexus injury occurs when these nerves are stretched, compressed, or in the most serious cases, ripped apart or torn away from the spinal cord.
Minor brachial plexus injuries, known as stingers or burners, are common in contact sports, such as football. Babies sometimes sustain brachial plexus injuries during birth. Other conditions, such as inflammation or tumors, may affect the brachial plexus.
The most severe brachial plexus injuries usually result from auto or motorcycle accidents. Severe brachial plexus injuries can leave your arm paralyzed, with a loss of function and sensation. Surgical procedures such as nerve grafts, nerve transfers or muscle transfers can help restore function.
CAUSES
These injuries can occur in several ways, including:
- Contact sports: Many football players experience burners or stingers, which can occur when the nerves in the brachial plexus get stretched beyond their limit during collisions with other players.
- Difficult births: Newborns can sustain brachial plexus injuries. These may be associated with high birth weight, breech presentation or prolonged labor. If an infant’s shoulders get wedged within the birth canal, there is an increased risk of a brachial plexus palsy. Most often, the upper nerves are injured, a condition called Erb’s palsy.
- Trauma: Several types of trauma — including Car accidents, bike accidents, falls or bullet wounds — can result in brachial plexus injuries.
- Tumors and cancer treatments: Tumors can grow in or along the brachial plexus, or put pressure on the brachial plexus or spread to the nerves. Radiation treatments to the chest may cause damage to the brachial plexus.
Symptoms
Minor injuries often occurs during playing football or wrestling, when the brachial plexus nerves get stretched or compressed. These are called stingers or burners, and can produce the following symptoms:
- A feeling like an electric shock or a burning sensation shooting down your arm
- Numbness and weakness in your arm,
- The most serious brachial plexus injury (avulsion) occurs when the nerve root is torn from the spinal cord. Signs and symptoms of more-severe injuries can include:
- Weakness or inability to use certain muscles in your hand, arm or shoulder
- Complete lack of movement and feeling in your arm, including your shoulder and hand
- Severe pain
TREATMENT
When a sensory nerve has been injured, the patient must be extra careful not to burn or cut fingers while there is no feeling in the affected area. During nerve recovery, the brain may not interpret the new nerve signals properly, and a procedure called sensory re-education may be needed to optimize muscle control and feeling in the hand or fingers. Your doctor will recommend the appropriate therapy based on the nature of your injury.
Some injuries can recover with time and therapy. The time for recovery can be weeks or months. When an injury is unlikely to improve, several surgical techniques can be used to improve the recovery.
Dr. Kaveshver Singh at Skin Image clinic, Faridabad provides treatment for brachial plexus injury. You may contact and book prior appointment for better service.
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