United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Hello everyone. I am mommy to Nicholas 6 yrs LOBPI. I am posting a message here b/c my husband and I don't know how to help our little soldier. From time to time, he tells us that his thumb is twitching and he tenses in a great deal of pain. Motrin has helped in the past, but this time it has not helped. They wanted to put him on Neurontin, but we refused that route for now. Do any of you ever experience this? If so, what can I do to ease my baby's pain? Any advice and input is greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Natalie

Just curious as to why you don't want to try Neurontin? I know other parents on here have tried it on their kids and it has worked well. Low dose, no side effects...

You can try heat on it, one of those microwave "rice/bean" bags.

Marieke 33,LOBPI

Please Do Not Get Mad At me? I never had surjury from my birth with erbs in 1952, there for my experance is base on my life at 57. I only want you to concider me as a gin pig Talking about erbs? First you are great parents trying to understand ERBS, There are many things with ERBS that are part of erbs erbs for sure. My doctor at 12 told me to try your best to have a life? I will now talk about a life with out choise! I had to work and find a way by 15 to pay for food, ect. I came from a broken family at 12, My Mom tryied but Woman Did not get great salary back then. Enough,

Your Chid like me will be sugect to limitations for sure. They will find things that your child cant do with the erbs arm for sure. If you choose a surjury out come should be base on on the doctor and patiant outcome from surjury? I hope I am not steping on toes here? I am sure that pulling on a Erbs arm after surjury is wrong for sure. But As a child comes home and wants to do something or try something with erbs. I drove a semi and a Master diver, I climb trees at 9. You can read my pass post, I did not have surgury, I talk like a dinasor with erbs. In my life it was always about findining a way to over come my limiation and joy or what was inpossed on me with erbs?

I hope I said this Right???????

Tom

You could also try stretching it when he tenses it, to "break" the spasm. Sounds painful but it isn't once the spasm releases.

Try a rubber ball to swezzes , It has me help on this and grasping a semi sterring wheel later.

Tom

So I am exact, A small rubber ball, to squezz. There will be crapping for sure in the hand but the grasp for me got stronger for sure . But if you can gain grasp it help latter in life for sure. I remember holding a stuff aniamal when I slept I was still holding on to it when I wauk up in the morning. I think it connected my brain to the erbs arm more? Hope this helped?

Tom

Natalie
I use to get cramps in my hand and still get shock like pains. I don't use drugs for it but warmth really helps. I was given vitamin B complex on a daily basis as a child for the nerve injury. That was what they used in the good old days. I still get b-12 shots to keep my nerves from dancing around my arm. Vitamin B is essential for good nerve health. My family doctor felt stress depletes B and pain creates stress ... so I was on a Vitamin B all my life. When I stop is when I get into trouble again. Maybe it's mind over matter ... I don't know but it's safe and works for me.

When the cramps, in my hand and biceps, would suddenly come out of nowhere someone in my family massaged my arm. If you can get him in a warm bath and then try massaging his arm and hand with arnica oil or any warm oil perhaps it will help. Since he is little you would not want to use Mineral Ice on his hand for fear of him touching his eyes in his sleep,

We get all sorts of weird nerve pains due to the mixed brain messages. It seems that no two obpi injuries heal the same so each of us gets different nerve pains.

I'm not sure holding a ball in a cramped hand would help. My hand was closed tight as a child and they gradually placed different size balls in it. This was done so that my hand would stretch and would eventually be able to stay open. My hands shook quite a bit when I was younger and not so much as I matured. Unless I was sick and then my arm would and still does act up.

I hope this will help a little.

Kath robpi/adult 69

Stretching like Marieke said really helps. I hace a variety of balls of DIFFERENT textures and colors too to keep on my hand at my asge of 71 my hand contracts and is painful. "Lefty" just knows when i've forgotten to put a ball in my hand after using it TOO, to do something.

My 2 Cents!

Carolyn J
LOBPI

Carolyn
You just pointed out the differences we all have in our healing process. I no longer have to hold the ball in my hand and have not had to since I was a small child. At almost 70 the only time my hand curled since I was a child was after the birth of my third child. That was when I was 32 and it last for several months. My family doctor said that my nerves got a bit upset when I gave birth that time.

You still need your... This just proves how differently we all heal... Thanks for making that point.

Kath robpi/adult 69

Thank you for your advice. My husband and I do not wish to put him on Neurontin b/c of possible side effects and the fact that he is only six. I just feel that if he were older it would be different. For now, we want to look into other alternatives.

His hand is fully functional. The only problem with his hand was a severe waiter's tip, which has improved. I am definitely going to talk to his pediatrician about vitamin b for him. Thanks.