Brachial Neuritis or Parsonage-Turner Syndrome

Parsonage-Turner Syndrome, also known as Neuralgic Amyotrophy or Brachial Plexus Neuritis, is a common neuromuscular condition. Brachial plexus neuritis (BN) is definitely an uncommon disorder seen as a severe shoulder and upper arm pain then marked upper arm weakness. Brachial Neuritis is seen as a the acute start of excruciating unilateral shoulder pain, then flaccid paralysis of shoulder and parascapular muscles.


Characteristic of Brachial Neuritis
This condition is seen as a the sudden (acute) start of severe pain over the shoulder and upper arm because of inflammation of the number of nerves supplying (innervating) the muscles from the chest, shoulders, and arms (brachial plexus). In some instances, the pain may radiate on the arm and in to the hand.
Within a couple of hours or days of the condition’s onset, individuals may experience muscle weakness, wasting (atrophy), numbness (hyperesthesia), and paralysis from the muscles of the affected shoulder and, in rare cases, muscles from the hand and fingers. In some instances, Brachial Neuritis may affect each side of the body (bilateral). Individuals with this condition usually recover inside a few months although symptoms may sometimes continue for a few years. Recovery is generally complete.


Signs of Brachial Neuritis are :
• Weakness - Weakness, like pain, is maximal at onset but could progress over 1 or even more weeks.
• Intense, burning pain begins in shoulder and upper arm.
• In Brachial Neuritis, pain is spontaneous, often without any apparent cause.
• Numbness may occur, with respect to the particular nerves affected, in most cases is found in the nerve distribution akin to the maximal muscle weakness; however, numbness isn't a prominent complaint.


Reasons for Brachial Neuritis
The exact cause of Brachial Neuritis or Parsonage-Turner Syndrome isn't known. Brachial Neuritis may occur following a shot (tetanus, diphtheria or allergy), surgical procedures or infection with Lyme Disease. Some scientists think that it may be an autoimmune disorder. Autoimmune disorders are caused once the body’s natural defenses against "foreign" or invading organisms (e.g., antibodies) start to attack healthy tissue for unknown reasons.


Treatment of Brachial Neuritis
Treatments for are: Analgesics when needed for pain,humerus. Encourage patient that condition usually, but slowly, improves


Physiotherapy rehabilitation
Physical rehabilitation to maintain strength and mobility, If deltoid muscle is profoundly weak, recommend a sling to prevent subluxation of  humerus.

Other kinds of neuritis
1. Brachial Neuritis
2. Optical Neuritis
3. Intercostal Neuritis
4. Ulnar neuritis
5. Lumbosacral neuritis
6. Vestibular neuritis
7. Occipital neuritis