Brachial Plexus Injuries

Summary

The brachial plexus is a network of nerves that sends signals from the spine to the shoulder, arm, and hand. Damage to the brachial plexus can cause symptoms such as:

A limp or paralyzed arm
Lack of muscle control in the arm, hand, or wrist
Lack of feeling or sensation in the arm or hand

Brachial plexus injuries can happen because of shoulder trauma, tumors, or inflammation. Sometimes they happen during childbirth when a baby's shoulders become stuck during delivery and the nerves stretch or tear.

Some brachial plexus injuries may heal without treatment. Many children who are injured during birth improve or recover by 3 to 4 months of age. Treatment includes physical therapy and, in some cases, surgery.

NIH: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Learn More

Brachial plexopathy (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Brachial Plexus Injury (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)
Brachial plexus injury in newborns (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Burner (Stinger) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Burners (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish

Clinical Trials

ClinicalTrials.gov: Brachial Plexus Injuries (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

Topic Image

National Institutes of Health

The primary NIH organization for research on Brachial Plexus Injuries is the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Disclaimers

MedlinePlus links to health information from the National Institutes of Health and other federal government agencies. MedlinePlus also links to health information from non-government Web sites. See our disclaimer about external links and our quality guidelines.