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Preparing for your appointment
By Mayo Clinic staffA number of tests may be used to help diagnose the type and severity of brachial plexus injuries. When you make your appointment, be sure to ask whether you need to prepare for these tests. For instance, you may need to stop taking certain medications for a few days or avoid using lotions the day of the test.
Other suggestions for getting the most from your appointment include:
- Write down all your symptoms. Include how you were injured, how long you've had your symptoms and whether they've gotten worse over time.
- Make a list of all medications, vitamins and herbs that you're taking.
- If possible, take along a family member or friend. It can be difficult to absorb all the information you're given during an appointment. The person who accompanies you may remember something that you forgot or missed. This is especially important if your child has a brachial plexus injury. In most babies, the injury heals on its own without any lasting damage, but children who don't show improvement in the first six months of life may require surgery. This means parents that parents face some difficult decisions, and it's often helpful to have a friend or family member who can offer advice and support.
- Don't be afraid to ask questions. Children and adults with brachial plexus injuries have several options for restoring lost function. Be sure to ask your doctor about all the possibilities available to you or your child. If you run out of time, ask to speak with a nurse or have your doctor call you later.
- Brachial plexus injury (Erb's palsy). American Society for Surgery of the Hand. http://www.assh.org/Content/NavigationMenu/PatientsPublic/HandConditions/BrachialPlexusInjury/Brachial_Plexus_Inj.htm. Accessed Oct. 24, 2008.
- Burners and stingers. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/fact/thr_report.cfm?Thread_ID=226&topcategory=Shoulder. Accessed Oct. 24, 2008.
- NINDS brachial plexus information page. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/brachial_plexus/brachial_plexus.htm. Accessed Oct. 24, 2008.
- Erb's palsy (brachial plexus birth injury). American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/fact/thr_report.cfm?Thread_ID=314&topcategory=Shoulder. Accessed Oct. 24, 2008.
- Shin AY, et al. Adult traumatic brachial plexus injuries. Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. 2005;13(6):382-396.
- Uehara DT et al. Injuries to the Shoulder Complex and Humerus. In: Tintinalli JE et al. Tintinalli's Emergency Medicine: A Comprehensive Study Guide. 6th ed. Chapel Hill, N.C.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2004. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=612543&searchStr=injury+of+brachial+plexus. Accessed Nov. 11, 2008.
- McMahon PJ et al. Sports Medicine: Shoulder Neurovascular Injury. In: Skinner HB. Current Diagnosis & Treatment in Orthopedics. 4th ed. Irvine, Calif.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2006. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=2319261&searchStr=injury+of+brachial+plexus. Accessed Nov. 11, 2008.
