United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

I'm now 10 months post mod quad and continuing to see changes. Most dramatic recently has been new movement in the pinkie and ring fingers, which is attributed to the ulnar nerve. Yesterday again the itchy feeling started and usually it comes and goes but it is still there and is driving me crazy. I know it is a good thing and will go away and I will experience new movement as a result but I'm wondering if any of you have any tricks you have discovered work with your kids when they get this feeling.

I know it is what causes us to bite at our hands, you want that internal itching to STOP. I'm trying not to self mutilate myself!

Nancy

Isn't it neat how you get that feeling? i know it can be painful,but I kept reminding myself Hey I can feel.It should stop soon Nancy.I kind of know what you are going thru. I would just turn my head away and make awfull faces. It was kind of funny when I was subbing. The kids would have a real puzzeled look on their faces. But I got to teach them about nerves first hand. LOL

First Hand... Judy a littl play on words...LOL
Since I don't know what your really talking about the itchy feeling is it like having and itchy tongue???
and a full arm... LOL... annoying but not a bad thing...

Judy I would have loved to see the faces... LOL...
Nancy...
No biting the fingers... it sets a bad example for the little ones..
Kath

Hi Nancy, im glad things are still going good after your surgery, can't really help you with the internal itching (i just bang my hand on my knee when that goes on) but quite a few TBPI have mentioned this, maybe you could post that on the adult board and see if anyone has answers?
no biting! :O)

Elizabeth must be getting these sensations, too...she's been biting her thumb like crazy and it's leaving a mark that looks like it was hit with a hammer (until primary surgery she could not extend the thumb at all). It pleases me that she's still getting innervation...3 years after primary surgery. In the past she had the pins and needles sensation in her arm (around 1 1/2- 2 yrs.) and she would wack her arm against something hard (like her brother and sister!LOL). It looked so painful to me. Have you tried wacking something? Maybe you should ask for bongo drums for Christmas. I'm just kidding, of course. Have you tried submerging your hand in warm water or cold water? Maybe that would calm the itching because of a sudden change in temperature.

Thanks for updating us on your progress. It truly helps those of us with little ones who can't articulate what they're feeling. You're the best!

Keep these posts coming! It is helping me understand what Parker is going through!

I'm just back from my last visit for the year with my OT (insurance approved 60 visits and I just hit 60). She was very excited about my itching fingers, and said that we need to normalize the sensation and optimize movement. Since it potentially means new movement we need to encourage that as much as possible and when I feel these sensations I should focus all my efforts on working on that part of the arm or hand.

We then placed my hand into a fluidotherapy machine. I'll try to describe it -- it has ground up fine corn cobs that are blown around with hot air. After a half hour in this, the itching and burning sensation was GONE. So Karen, your instincts for putting the hand in either cold or warm were right on!

She also gave me a list of things to do when I get these sensations. One is something that I think would work well with the youngsters too. She said to fill a bucket with uncooked rice and place small objects throughout it. Then put my hand in the bucket and move it around, finding the objects and taking them out.

I'm also to rub different textures over the itching areas, again the idea is to 'normalize' the sensation, working with it.

Nancy

Hi Nancy,

I was going to tell you that Tess' ot has her do some things in rice. I get such a kick out of this. Who was sitting around one day with nothing better to do and came up with this. Don't get me wrong, I'm very appreciative that this helps but it does make me wonder...

Another idea for the bucket, to use a different texture is dried beans with objects in it.

Also, how about paraffin wax? Do you think that's something that could help you? I haven't looked into it yet for Nicole, but I've read about other BP Moms doing it.

I made a "sensation bag" and included various items -- various textured sponges and brushes, a loofah, a vibrating pull toy, a koosh ball, and a baggie full of swatches of various fabrics (the fabric store doesn't charge you for small swatches of fabric so I compiled a cart full of many types of fabric and got quite an assortment at no charge -- Joann Fabrics). Nicole actively participates in using her right hand to rub things on her left hand. Wonder what the other girls will think when she goes to school and rubs a brush on her arm instead of through her hair?! J/K LOL! I hope this helps. Enjoy your therapy break! -Tina )

Tina

Paraffin is wonderful... I love the feel of it and I love to play with the soft wax after ... making flowers etc... LOL... I guess you can tell clay was my first toy... It is softer and warmer then play dough.... Nancy it's good for the hands... so relaxing... I have two baths now... one large professional and now one of the newer smaller models.. Love them!!

You just need to make sure the temp is set so its not too hot... depending on how Nicole reacts to hot and cold... I can't take cold at all... and don't really feel hot that well so I now test everything with non bpi hand....

Tina I think that's funny... may be Nicole will be a trend setter brushing her arm... LOL... LOL..
Kath