United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

My husband has been diagnosed with a traumatic brachial plexus injury and thoracic nerve damage, a winged scapula and bulging discs in his cervical spine and a lot of degenerative disc disease from the accident. My question is.....He has been given no hope to ever work again because the pain is so bad. Is there anyone out there that has a lot of pain? He is on methadone and fentanyl and it does not seem to help with his pain. His only relief is the hot tub.
Any suggestions?

Thanks
Beth

Hi Beth, my shoulder had excruciating pains in the months following the injury. The worst was the first month. I can tolerate a lot of pain, but this pain would make me groan in anger and hurt, then cry because it ached. I imagine the cracked scapula, broken 1st rib and broken c5, c6, and c7 added to the pain.

As the area healed, the pain subsided. Though, depending on my activity in the first year or two, my shoulder would get sore from jostling around. Now, 9yrs later, the only pains I get are the fire-burning pains in my elbpw and hand or if I bump into a door frame, wall or hard object if I turm a corner too sharp when walking

I don't have much advice except use the pain meds (though try not to abuse them, you'll want to get off them eventually) and do whatever therapeutic things makes the shoulder feel better. If that means sitting in a hot tub or getting gentle rubs downs, do it. Those are real lifesavers to a hurting body.

Hi Beth,

The only thing I can tell you about the pain is what my son Ryan went through. He was in a motorcycle accident in Feb 2000, his pain was so bad that by May he would take his arm and bang it on the walls. It was alful to watch and there wasn't anything I could do. The end of May he had a muscle transplant and that relieved the pain enough that he could finally live with it. I know that the pain for him has never totally gone away. I am sure he has learned to live with it. He also took himself off all the medication by Sept. He now only takes over the counter pain relievers once in awhile.

I know this isn't helping much, but at least you know your husband and his pain aren't alone.

Please ask all the question you want we are here to help.

Hugs,

Karen
karen@ubpn.org