Help! Please!

[Bill-C]

Hi everyone. My name is Bill, I am 32 and was in a car accident this past June. I fractured vertebraes C4,5 &6 as well as herniated discs C5-6 & C6-7. My right arm has little feeling in it and I have very little use in it. My hand strength has increase 100% since the accident and is fairly strong. I have very little bicep flexion and I have no deltoid whatsoever, front, rear nothing. I cannot turn my wrist palm up. My tricep has gotten quite a bit stronger since the accident, I can now do extensions with 10 lbs. while lying on my back. I have very little feeling from my neck down to my thumb. I had an emg done and there is some response in my muscles but my doctor has not diagnosed me with anything other than saying I strecthed my nerves and muscles.Does anyone know if this type of injury will heal since I am getting some muscles back? What are my options or what should I do? Help please!

[lizzyb]

Hi Bill

Where abouts are you? Have you seen a doctor who has experience in diagnosing and treating brachial plexus injuries? This is the first thing you should do...get a set of proper diagnostic tests done as soon as possible..if it is a bad stretch, then there is a good chance of a good recovery.

It's hard to give you a quick answer here; if you are in the U.K. as I am, I can help you with more information about where to go etc; my email is liz@tbpi-group.org If you are in the U.S. there is a list of surgeons and BPI centres on this site in the Medical Resources section, and there should be one near you.
Here is the link to the section; http://ubpn.org/medicalresources/
Let us know how you get on....good luck

Liz B

[david wilson]

hey bill
here is anouther site
http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Fal ... erview.htm

[dennisbk]

Hi Bill,
I was told the same things as you, but didn't get any real information until I went to see a BPI specialist. I was initially told that things would heal in time, but after seeing a specialist, I learned that my injury wasn't going to heal, and I didn't get any improvement until I has surgery. Time is a factor, so find a specialist ASAP!
Good luck,
Dennis

[aliwarren]

Hi Bill

I was involved in a car accident 5 years ago, and I too had no feeling in my right arm [my injury is C1-T6], and the docs were clueless - I was also told I had stretched or pulled the nerves or maybe the sheaths, couldn't be certain - was told full recovery, but have 65-70% use of arm - still can't bend my wrist back or clench properly.

I have found that going to gym and using light weights has helped me to the extent that my muscles haven't deteriorated. But I have found out the hard way that you mustn't overdo the arm exercises, as the arm sometimes objects, so every alt day I will do arm exercises, but gentle ones - just to keep the muscles 'awake'. Also stomach curls or situps are a big no-no - well for me, as well as running or doing the step workout [I was told I could swim doing doggy paddle - ha,ha]. Your body lets you know what it is comfortable with, & I have developed my own gym routine, which I attend 4-5 times a week, & I try to vary the muscle groups that I am targetting whilst exercising.

I have not had any surgery - in fact I thought I was the only one in the world with this kind of injury as the docs here in south africa said that they had only seen this type of injury whereby the arm became flail - soo I was like ok get over it and fix it & they were like well we don't have a clue. I only started finding out about thi sinjury when I came across this board..so now I feel a weight has lifted off, but as Liz says if ya are in a place where you have access to a BPI specialist then go see one, as your injury could possibly be treated [remove scar tissue etc] before it gets too late...as is the case for some of us.

So hope ya find a good doc, of not then most of the peeps on this board prob know more than the docs out there anyway..

Cheers

[admin]

Good luck keep looking. MB