United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Hi Georgina
I have pass the very same as you, and have also 5 years on the road. I am worried about that too.
Until now i find some dificultie to heal a cold. This year doctor advice to take flu vacine.
Paulo G

Hello, I just read your message, and I wanted to know if you can fully recover from phrenic nerve damage? My father has been diagnosed with this--He was operated on Sept 1, 2004--and they now want to release him to a rehab center (they can't do anything more for him, time will tell, is what we've been told) Does this sound right? Will physical rehabilitation and respir. therapy correct the problem? Any help will be greatly appreciated!
Thank you.

Hey -

Losing the phrenic will result in a partially collapsed lung, so I don't see how that can be recovered. But as others have mentioned, most often the loss of that portion of one lung doesn't usually really affect you. John has gone back to competing on his bike, has ridden 100 miles in a day numerous times, cycled up a NC mtn - i.e. many things that cause exertion & require strong breathing - and he's done fine.

Ellen

Ellen, You mentioned John had cycled up a NC mountain! That had to be tough! The mountains here can be huge and it definitly takes a very physical person to do it. I am from the western NC mountains. Which Mt. did he ride?

Not even sure if it has a name! My parents have a cabin down in Horse Cove Valley below Highlands, & John rode up (I think something like ~31 hairpin turns) to Highlands. So if you were thinking of Grandfather Mtn, not even close! Maybe next year...

Where do you live?

Take care,

Ellen

Ellen, I live in Bakersville, NC. Its probably a couple of hours from Highlands, give or take some. We are more in the mts. so to speak than Highlands, I guess. The boonies, more like it, LOL! Where are you from?

Last year I noticed a shortness of breath. After many tests found that my phrenic nerve on the right side wasn't working. Drs had no clue why but thought maybe a tumor. Did all the scans found nothing. I did research and found that chiropratic manipulation could be a cause. I had arthitis in my neck and saw a chiropractor about the time I noticed shortness of breath. After about 16 months the nerve has regenerated itself and an xray last week showed the lung coming back to normal. Don't let chiropractors mess with your neck.

Greetings,

I recently have experience times when it is hard for me to take a deep breath. I went to the dr. and had a chest x-ray and they could not see the lower half of my left lung. Diagnosis was that it was either caused from a hernia OR that it may be a result of having my phrenic nerve damaged when I had a neck fusion back in June of this year. I had a scope and no hernia was found and so the doctors are leaning to the fact that it was injured during my surgery. My question is - does anyone know if this nerve will rebuild itself or is this something that I will be living with the rest of my life? Note: I am in "NO" pain and the symptoms are sporatic - I just never know when it is that I will not beable to take that breath in.

Gregg

That's just what happened to me. Chiropractor twisted my neck and streched the nerve. Went over a year without being able to take a deep breath...just this last week it feels much better. I can feel the lung expanding.

Did you ever resolve your breathing?.......am a swimmer
and had thyroid surgery and am having serios problems breahhin while exercising
Thank you