Symptoms of BRACHIAL PLEXOPATHY

Acute thoracic outlet syndrome often occurs after whiplash injury, falls or heavy lifting. Neck pain and stiffness occurs. Pain radiates into the arm or hand, particularly the ring and small fingers. Lifting the arm to do activities such as brushing the hair increases the symptoms. There may be weakness in the hand and numbness in the ring and small fingers. Acute brachial neuropathy develops shoulder and arm pain. The pain may be much worse at night or with arm movements. About one third of people who develop this disorder will develop bilateral symptoms. Weakness of the shoulder and arm often progress over several weeks. Atrophy and sensory loss in a similar distribution occurs. The disorder is more common in men. Trauma may stretch the brachial plexus leading to weakness, numbness, tingling, and pain. There is often burning pain in the arm. Penetrating trauma can lead to varying degrees of weakness or numbness as well as damage to the axillary artery or vein.