Posted by Larry Hoover on August 4, 2007, at 14:10:17
In reply to Sudden onset R+L elbow down paralysis ?, posted by Fivefires on August 4, 2007, at 3:02:04
> It's a pretty young family member of mine.
How young?
> MRI showed C5-6 disc abnormalities.
>
> Hospital just sent him home.
>
> Can total paralysis like this just go away?
>
> Any1 explain to me?
>
> 5fThe nerves that control the muscles of the shoulder and arm arise between C4-C8, and T1 of the upper spine. The nerves form cross-connections in what is called the brachial plexus. Ordinarily, lower extremity involvement is not associated with C5-C6, but we're not all identical in the nerve arrangements. There's quite a bit of variability.
Most brachial plexus injuries arise during childbirth, or from some sort of trauma.
Treatment depends on just what is wrong, of course. Total paralysis is not a good sign, but it also can rather quickly and spontaneously remit. Again, it depends on just what caused it in the first place.
I would certainly hope that there is a referral to a specialty clinic. Not sure what state your relative is in or near. Here's a link to brachial plexus injury treatment centres: http://www.ubpn.org/medicalresources/us-bpi.html
Fingers crossed,
Lar
poster:Larry Hoover
thread:773868
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/health/20070701/msgs/773952.html