Brachial Plexus Injuries: MedlinePlus

Brachial Plexus Injuries: MedlinePlus


A service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
National Institutes of Health

 

Brachial Plexus Injuries

URL of this page: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/brachialplexusinjuries.html

Email this page to a friendShare on facebookShare on twitterBookmark & Share

The brachial plexus is a network of nerves that conducts signals from the spine to the shoulder, arm, and hand. Brachial plexus injuries are caused by damage to those nerves.
Symptoms may include

• 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 occur as a result 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

MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA

• Brachial palsy in newborns
• Brachial plexopathy
• Brachial plexus

Related Topics

• Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
• Brain and Nerves
• Injuries and Wounds

National Institutes of Health

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

• Start Here

  • Brachial Plexus Injuries(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - Short Summary

Overviews

• Brachial Plexus (Erb's Palsy)(American Society for Surgery of the Hand)
• Brachial Plexus Injury(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)

Specific Conditions

• Burners(American Academy of Family Physicians)
• Also available in Spanish
• Burners and Stingers(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)

Clinical Trials

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

Journal Articles

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

• Article: Medical decision-making among adolescents with neonatal brachial plexus palsy and...
• Article: Botulinum toxin for the treatment of motor imbalance in obstetrical...
• Article: Functional outcome after the Hoffer procedure.
• Brachial Plexus Injuries -- see more articles
• Return to top

Organizations

• National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
• Also available in Spanish
• Return to top

Children

• Erb's Palsy (Brachial Plexus Birth Palsy)(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
• Erb-Duchenne and Dejerine-Klumpke Palsies(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - Short Summary
• Also available in Spanish
• Return to top

Teenagers

• Burner (Stinger)(Nemours Foundation)
• Also available in Spanish
• Return to top

Patient Handouts

• Brachial palsy in newborns
• Also available in Spanish
• Brachial plexopathy
• Also available in Spanish
• Return to top