Brachial plexus injury: symptoms, medication, etc. • hello healthy

Definition

What is a brachial plexus injury?

The brachial plexus is a network of nerves that sends signals from the spine to the shoulders, arms and hands. The strain, pressure, or injury that causes this nerve tissue to be damaged or even torn or cut can cause problems.

Minor injuries are common during physical contact during sports, such as soccer. Injury to the brachial plexus nerve can also occur during delivery. Certain health conditions, such as inflammation or tumors, can affect this nerve tissue.

The most serious cases of injury usually occur in traffic accidents. This can cause your hands to become paralyzed and numb.

The function of the brachial plexus nerve can be repaired with a muscle or nerve graft surgically.

Signs & Symptoms

What are the signs and symptoms of a brachial plexus injury?

The signs and symptoms of a brachial plexus injury may vary, depending on the severity and location of the injury. Usually, only one side of the arm is affected.

Quoted from the Mayo Clinic, the signs and symptoms of brachial plexus injury can vary, depending on the severity and location of the injury. Usually, only one side of the arm is affected.

Brachial plexus injury is minor

Minor injuries usually occur in sports, such as football, wrestling, when the brachial plexus nerve is stretched or compressed.

Minor injuries usually produce symptoms such as an electric shock or burning sensation across the arm, or a sensation of numbness (numbness) or weakness in the arm. These symptoms usually last only a few minutes, but some people can experience them daily or even weeks or longer.

The brachial plexus was badly injured

In cases of more severe injury, for example to a tear or detachment from the spine, it usually causes L.

• Weakness or inability to move the muscles of the hand, arm, or shoulder.
• Cannot move and feel the sensation of stimulation, such as in the shoulder or hand.
• Severe pain

There may be signs and symptoms not listed above. If you have concerns about a particular symptom, consult your doctor.

When should I see a doctor?

Contact your doctor if you experience any of the following symptoms:

• Repeating sensation of electric shock or burning all over the arm
• Weakness in the hand or arm
• Weakness in the hand or arm after an injury
• Complete paralysis in the upper arm after injury
• Neck pain
• Symptoms appear on both arms
• Symptoms appear all over the arm

It is important to get prompt diagnosis and treatment within 6-7 months of the initial injury. Delaying treatment can make the condition worse.

Cause

What causes brachial plexus injury?

Damage to the nerve top of the brachial plexus tissue that causes injury or injury tends to occur when your shoulder is pressed down while the neck is pulled up.

The lower part of the nerve tends to be injured when the hand is pulled or pulled forcibly over the head.

This can be caused by several things:

• Physical contact during sports, such as during football
• Difficult labor processes, such as breech position or long delivery times that cause the baby's shoulder to get stuck in the birth canal. Damage to the upper nerve is called Erb's palsy.
• Physical trauma, from traffic accidents, falls, or gunshot wounds.
• Inflammation that causes damage to the brachial plexus nerve. One of them is caused by a rare condition called Parsonage-Turner syndrome
• Noncancerous or cancerous tumors that grow in the brachial plexus or cause pressure on the brachial plexus or spread to the nerve tissue, causing damage.
• Cancer radiotherapy.

Risk factors

What increases my risk for brachial plexus injury?

Some of the factors that increase your risk of brachial plexus injury include:

• Engage in physical sports, such as football and wrestling.
• Engaged in motorized accidents.

Treatment

The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. ALWAYS consult your doctor.

How is this condition diagnosed?

Doctors diagnose the injury by observing the symptoms and performing a series of physical examinations, including:

• Electromyography (EMG). This procedure involves inserting a needle into the muscle to evaluate the electrical activity in the muscle when it contracts and is resting. This procedure may be a little painful, but it subsides afterwards.
• Nerve conduction test, which is usually done as a series of EMG tests. This test is performed to observe the conduction velocity of nerves when electrified. This information can tell your doctor how well your nerves are working.
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This test can tell the doctor how badly the injury has been as well as the condition of a major artery that is important in the arm.
• Computerized tomography (CT) myelography. This test uses X-rays to scan a detailed picture of the spine and its nerve roots. CT scans are usually performed when the MRI does not provide optimal results.
• If your doctor suspects that a blood vessel in your arm is injured, he or she may order an angiogram. Angiogram is a scanning test using a special dye that is injected into the blood vessels to check the condition of these blood vessels. This information is important for the doctor to determine the surgery plan

How is brachial plexus injury treated?

Treatment will be based on the severity of the injury, the type of injury, the distance from the time of injury to treatment, and a variety of other factors. The pulled nerve may heal on its own without treatment.

Your doctor may recommend physical therapy to keep your joints and muscles functioning properly, maintain range of motion, and prevent stiff joints.

Scar tissue may form during the healing process, which can be repaired surgically to improve nerve function. This procedure is usually used for injuries to nerves that have been torn or pulled off.

Surgery to repair the injury must be performed immediately at least 6-7 months after the occurrence of the injury. If it is more than this, your muscles may no longer function.

Other injury repair procedures include nerve grafts, nerve transfers (from other areas of your spine), to muscle transfers (moving muscles or tendons from other areas of your body to replace injured tissue).

To manage the pain from the injury, doctors usually prescribe opiate-type pain relievers. The reason is, the pain from a brachial plexus injury is often described as excruciating, crushing, and a continuous, debilitating burning sensation.

Please discuss with your doctor for more information. If you have any questions, consult your doctor for the best solution to your problem.

Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.