When a nerve root hasn't been completely avulsed (torn completely out from the spinal cord), but has suffered a lesser traction injury...how long does it take for it to heal, and does the pain ever go away?
I would love to hear some success stories and timelines (if there are any).
Injury Description, Date, extent, surgical intervention etc: Date of Injury: 12/15/02
Level of Injury: -dominant side C5, C6, & C7 avulsed. C8 & T1 stretched & crushed
BPI Related Surgeries: -2 Intercostal nerves grafted to Biceps muscle, -Free-Gracilis muscle transfer to Biceps Region innervated with 2 Intercostal nerves grafts. -2 Sural nerves harvested from both Calves for nerve grafting. -Partial Ulnar nerve grafted to Long Triceps. -Uninjured C7 Hemi-Contralateral cross-over to Deltoid muscle. -Wrist flexor tendon transfer to middle, ring, & pinky finger extensors.
Surgical medical facility: Brachial Plexus Clinic at The Mayo Clinic, Rochester MN (all surgeries successful)
"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." ~Theodore Roosevelt
Morticia,
The pain is an unknown variable, some recovery some don't. As far as nerve root avulsion and a nerve traction, they are two totally different things. I pray for your sake I'm wrong, but usually there is no 'repair' for a nerve root avulsion unless there is some of the root still attached to the spinal cord that the surgeon can attach a nerve graft to. Get the exact specifics from your doctor as to the nature of you injury, they should be able to answer better than me, or I need a different job.
Maybe you are referring to two different nerve injuries, and if that is the case, my C8 and T1 tractions (stretched and crushed) took over a year before my fingers could move with any speed. They've lost all fine motor control, doing anything with any delicacy, and have very muted and pain ridden sensation, but I can use my hand to hold things quite well.
Hope this helps somewhat and best of luck.
Chris
PS it took about a month to see any movement in my fingers at all and over six months before I noticed I could bend my wrist upward
Thank you Christopher, I appreciate your response.
My doctor's have told me that the traction injury may have caused scarring inside the nerve root, and that there was some axonal damage. Meaning, I guess that the axons have to regenerate back down from the roots to their tips and even after that process has been completed, there is another process whereby the nerves have to stop their healing phase and finally just go back to sending/receiving messages.
The pain part is the hardest thing for me, and while I am seeing some improvement, it's literally like watching grass grow! LOL
