What is brachial plexus neuritis/irritation?
Brachial plexus neuritis is an inflammation of the nerve plexus that supplies the arm. This disease is also called neuralgic shoulder amyotrophy. The inflammation is often caused by the fact that the patient’s own immune system produces substances (immune complexes) after an infection that damage the nerves.
Neurtitis can be limited to one arm or affect both. Its onset is very sudden and acute. The symptoms are severe pain and sensation in the arm and shoulder.
After a few days, the pain can turn into paralysis. This usually affects the shoulder muscles, more rarely the lower arm muscles. The therapy consists of elevation, warmth, immunosuppressants such as cortisol and painkillers. In most cases the disease heals on its own, but this can take years.
Can the brachial plexus be seen on MRI?
The brachial plexus can be seen in the MRI. In magnetic resonance imaging, the magnetic properties of some atomic nuclei (e.g. water) can be used to visualize even small body structures. The magnetic fields also penetrate bone.Therefore, structures can also be viewed that are well protected.
MRI is particularly suitable for imaging tissues and organs. With high-resolution equipment, however, it is also possible to assess nerves. Even minor damage to nerves can now be detected with powerful MRIs. One method in which such MRIs are used is magnetic resonance neurography.
Damage to the N. radialis
Symptoms Sensory disturbances on the back of the hand in the area of the thumb, index finger and middle finger where the fingertips are not affected and numbness in the lower two thirds of the thumb. In addition, depending on the extent of the damage, a drop hand can result, which makes it impossible for the affected patient to lift the hand. Cause The cause of this damage can be a fracture of the upper arm, in which the radial nerve is damaged.
This nerve has the task of stimulating certain hand muscles. If these muscles fail, the symptoms of the drop hand described above result. Furthermore, a medium radialis paralysis can lead to similar symptoms.
A break is not necessarily necessary. Therapy Depending on the type of fracture and its severity, this must be considered individually. In the case of moderate radial palsy, the symptoms may disappear after a few days.
