Brachial Plexus Injury: Learn about the Treatment Options

Brachial plexus injury is a painful condition that may severely affect the functioning of the upper arm and have a negative impact on your normal lifestyle. People go for brachial plexus injury treatment or brachial plexus surgery when they find their brachial plexus nerves are compressed, stretched or cut. Compression of the brachial plexus nerves may occur due to inflammation or a tumour pressing on the nerve. Not all brachial plexus injuries are serious. Depending upon which nerves are damaged, the severity of the injury is determined. Often, these injuries can heal by themselves without any surgery. It is only the severe ones that need a reconstructive surgery.

Treatment for Brachial Plexus Injury

Due to the broad spectrum of brachial plexus injuries, it is difficult to estimate the recovery rate of the patients. The potential for spontaneous recovery depends on the type and severity of the injury. Therefore, prognosis must be made for individual patients based on the type and severity of their injuries.

• Non-surgical treatment options: depending on the degree of severity, some nerve injuries are able to heal on their own. If this is not a viable option for the particular patient, a surgical option may be recommended by the surgeon. Physical therapy is always a part of brachial plexus treatment.
• Surgical treatment options: the degree of functional impairment and potential for recovery depend on the mechanism, type and complexity of the brachial plexus injury and the time from sustaining the injury. The most important decision that your surgeon needs to take is regarding the time the surgical intervention should take place.
  

There are other treatment options available which your surgeons will undertake only depending on the type of condition or injury you are suffering from. Nerve graft, nerve transfer, muscle control, and pain control are some of the brachial plexus injury repair options available to correct the dysfunction in your arm, hand or shoulder.  

Erb’s palsy treatment is provided for patients suffering from weakness or paralysis of the arm. The condition known as Erb’s palsy is caused by injury sustained during birth. The condition is called Erb’s paralysis when it affects the movement of the upper arm and the rotating movement of the lower arm.

Brachial plexus injury treatment has a high success rate when provided by professional surgeons. So when considering this surgical option, ensure that you approach a reliable and experienced, preferably board-certified surgeon to benefit from an effective surgery.