What is brachial plexus neuropathy?

Written by Gao Yi Shen
Neurosurgery
Updated on September 02, 2024
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Brachial plexus neuropathy occurs when certain pathological changes affect the brachial plexus, causing clinical symptoms such as pain, numbness, and weakness. The brachial plexus is composed of four nerves from cervical vertebrae 6 to 7, 8, and thoracic vertebra 1. The brachial plexus gives rise to the median nerve, ulnar nerve, and radial nerve, making it a central hub. If the brachial plexus is injured, for instance, through trauma such as stretching, tearing, tumor compression, or bone impingement, this can lead to clinical manifestations including pain, numbness, and weakness in the arms and hands, a condition known as brachial plexus neuropathy. If such symptoms occur, it is crucial to promptly complete the necessary examinations to clarify the changes in the condition.

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Written by Zhang Hui
Neurology
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How to diagnose occipital neuralgia?

Occipital neuralgia is a very common condition, generally characterized by pain in the back of the head. The nature of the pain is usually dull, but it can radiate to the top of the head. To diagnose occipital neuralgia, the main examination is to see if there are any significant tender points along the course of the greater occipital nerve. If there are obvious tender points, it is likely that occipital neuralgia is a possibility. Additionally, there are some underlying causes of occipital neuralgia, such as cervical spondylosis, osteoarthritis, or inflammation of muscles in the head and neck area, and even some tumors. Therefore, it is necessary to perform comprehensive auxiliary examinations to rule out these related diseases, including MRI of the cervical spine and X-rays. Treatment is relatively simple and may include the administration of nerve-nourishing medications and pain relievers. (The use of medications should be under the guidance of a doctor.)

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Written by Liu Shi Xiang
Neurology
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How to relieve neuralgia

Neuropathic pain can be relieved through treatments such as medication, physical therapy, and surgery. Medications used primarily include antiepileptic drugs and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory analgesics, such as carbamazepine, oxcarbazepine, gabapentin, pregabalin, sodium diclofenac, ibuprofen, and celecoxib. Physical therapy mainly involves localized heat application, massage, manipulation, and acupuncture. Surgical treatment is mainly suitable for patients who do not respond well to medication and physical therapy. Currently, the surgical approach mainly involves minimally invasive surgery to relieve nerve compression, thereby alleviating the symptoms of neuropathic pain. Beyond symptomatic treatment, it is important to identify and treat the underlying cause of the neuropathic pain, such as tumors, trauma, diabetes, etc. These causes can lead to neuropathic symptoms, so it is crucial to actively control these underlying diseases to potentially relieve neuropathic pain at its root. (Medications should be used under the guidance of a doctor.)

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Written by Zhang Hui
Neurology
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How to relieve neuralgia

Firstly, symptomatic treatment can be administered to patients. Medications for treating neuralgia mainly include tricyclic antidepressants and anticonvulsants, and serotonin reuptake inhibitors may also be effective. These medications should be taken under the advice of a doctor when necessary to help alleviate pain. Secondly, localized block treatment can also achieve certain clinical effects. Thirdly, it is crucial to identify the cause of the neuralgia and treat it accordingly. For example, if a patient’s neuralgia is caused by optic neuromyelitis, corticosteroids should be used; if it is due to herpes zoster virus infection, antiviral medications are required.

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Written by Gao Yi Shen
Neurosurgery
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What is brachial plexus neuropathy?

Brachial plexus neuropathy occurs when certain pathological changes affect the brachial plexus, causing clinical symptoms such as pain, numbness, and weakness. The brachial plexus is composed of four nerves from cervical vertebrae 6 to 7, 8, and thoracic vertebra 1. The brachial plexus gives rise to the median nerve, ulnar nerve, and radial nerve, making it a central hub. If the brachial plexus is injured, for instance, through trauma such as stretching, tearing, tumor compression, or bone impingement, this can lead to clinical manifestations including pain, numbness, and weakness in the arms and hands, a condition known as brachial plexus neuropathy. If such symptoms occur, it is crucial to promptly complete the necessary examinations to clarify the changes in the condition.

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Written by Na Hong Wei
Orthopedics
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Symptoms of intercostal neuralgia

Intercostal neuralgia is essentially caused by inherent reasons, or pathological changes in the thoracic vertebrae, ribs, and pleura, leading to an inflammatory symptom involving the intercostal nerves. Therefore, the primary symptom of intercostal neuralgia is pain, but this pain has certain characteristics. First, the pain commonly occurs in the left second rib and the right second, third, and fourth ribs. Second, the range of the pain is usually semicircular; it does not extend beyond the anterior midline at the front or the posterior midline at the back, forming a semicircular pain along the ribs. Third, there are often fixed tender points, which sometimes are located in the costal cartilage or corresponding thoracic vertebrae and paraspinal area; these points, when pressed or tapped, can cause radiating pain. Fourth, many times the examination results are negative, so intercostal neuralgia tends to be a condition where the symptoms are severe, but physical examination often yields very few positive signs.