United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Anyone get bad muscles spasms? I keep getting crazy ones in my thumb. They don't hurt, but when it spasms a lot it cramps up and I have to use my other hand to unbend my thumb. Just curious if anyone else experiences these spasms.

Michelle RTBPI 5/10/04

Michelle
What is the extent of your injury (which nerves are damaged/injured)?

I get spasms in my trapezius muscle in my shoulder, just where it meets my neck. That comes from over use and over dependance due to lack of surrounding muscles that I've lost from my injury. C5, C6, &C7 are avulsed in my case, so all I've got left in my shoulder area is the trapezius and some rhomboid muscle and because of the over use and constant strain, they don't get stronger as one might think, but get over stressed and weakened. Kind of an oxymoron, you'd think using it all the time would build the muscle up, but it does the opposite.

This is probably what's happening to your thumb. My shoulder ceases and knots up and the only way for me to get it to release is by taking my good thumb and driving it hard thru the center of the muscle to get it to relax. No matter what, you should ask your Dr. what is up...

Hope this helps.

Chris

I had muscle spasms in my thumb also Michelle. My injury was 7/2/2003. My injury is a lower trunk left brachial plexus injury. Basically, all of my damage is in my left hand. The thumb spasms have subsized and I'm getting them in my ring finger now. I think its just taking turns.

Thanks for the info guys, that helps! Good to know I'm not the only one. My injury is a stretch of the lateral cord, so it effects my bicep and hand the most.
Michelle