Home Folk remedies Plexitis of the shoulder joint: symptoms and treatment with traditional and folk remedies. Plexitis of the shoulder joint: what is it and how to treat it? Superior brachial plexitis of Duchenne Erb

Plexitis of the shoulder joint: symptoms and treatment with traditional and folk remedies. Plexitis of the shoulder joint: what is it and how to treat it? Superior brachial plexitis of Duchenne Erb

Damage to the brachial nerve plexus, manifested by pain in combination with motor, sensory and autonomic dysfunction of the upper limb and shoulder girdle. The clinical picture varies depending on the level of plexus damage and its genesis. Diagnosis is carried out by a neurologist together with other specialists; it may require electromyo- or electroneurography, ultrasound, radiography, CT or MRI of the shoulder joint and plexus area, blood biochemistry studies, C-reactive protein levels and RF. It is possible to cure brachial plexitis and completely restore the function of the plexus only within the first year, provided that the cause of the disease is eliminated, adequate and comprehensive therapy and rehabilitation are carried out.

General information

The brachial plexus is formed by the branches of the lower cervical spinal nerves C5-C8 and the first thoracic root Th1. Nerves emanating from the brachial plexus innervate the skin and muscles of the shoulder girdle and the entire upper limb. Clinical neurology distinguishes between total damage to the plexus - Kehrer's palsy, damage to only its upper part (C5–C8) - proximal Duchenne-Erb palsy, and damage to only the lower part (C8-Th1) - distal Dejerine-Klumpke palsy.

Depending on the etiology, brachial plexitis is classified as post-traumatic, infectious, toxic, compression-ischemic, dysmetabolic, autoimmune. Among plexitis of other localizations (cervical plexitis, lumbosacral plexitis), brachial plexitis is the most common. The wide distribution and polyetiology of the disease determines its relevance both for neurologists and for specialists in the field of traumatology-orthopedics, obstetrics and gynecology, rheumatology, and toxicology.

Causes

Among the factors causing brachial plexitis, the most common are injuries. Damage to the plexus is possible with a fracture of the collarbone, dislocation of the shoulder (including habitual dislocation), sprained ligaments or damage to the tendons of the shoulder joint, bruise of the shoulder, cut, stab or gunshot wounds to the brachial plexus area. Often, brachial plexitis occurs against the background of chronic microtrauma to the plexus, for example, when working with a vibrating instrument or using crutches. In obstetric practice, obstetric Duchenne-Erb's palsy, which is a consequence of birth trauma, is well known.

The second place in prevalence is occupied by brachial plexitis of compression-ischemic origin, which occurs when the fibers of the plexus are compressed. This can happen when the hand is in an uncomfortable position for a long time (during deep sleep, in bed patients), when the plexus is compressed by an aneurysm of the subclavian artery, a tumor, post-traumatic hematoma, enlarged lymph nodes, an accessory cervical rib, or Pancoast cancer.

Brachial plexitis of infectious etiology is possible against the background of tuberculosis, brucellosis, herpetic infection, cytomegaly, syphilis, after suffering from influenza, sore throat. Dysmetabolic brachial plexitis can occur with diabetes mellitus, dysproteinemia, gout, etc. metabolic diseases. Iatrogenic damage to the brachial plexus is possible during various surgical interventions in the area of its location.

Symptoms

Brachial plexitis manifests itself as a pain syndrome - plexalgia, which has a shooting, aching, drilling, aching character. The pain is localized in the collarbone, shoulder and spreads to the entire upper limb. Increased pain is observed at night, provoked by movements in the shoulder joint and arm. Then muscle weakness in the upper limb joins and progresses to plexalgia.

Duchenne-Erb palsy is characterized by hypotension and decreased strength in the muscles of the proximal arm, leading to difficulty moving the shoulder joint, abducting and raising the arm (especially when it is necessary to hold a load in it), and flexing it at the elbow joint. Dejerine-Klumpke's palsy, on the contrary, is accompanied by weakness of the muscles of the distal parts of the upper limb, which is clinically manifested by difficulty in performing movements with the hand or holding various objects in it. As a result, the patient cannot hold a cup, fully use cutlery, fasten buttons, open a door with a key, etc.

Movement disorders are accompanied by a decrease or loss of the ulnar and carporadial reflexes. Sensory disturbances in the form of hypoesthesia affect the lateral edge of the shoulder and forearm in proximal paralysis, and the inner region of the shoulder, forearm and hand in distal paralysis. When the sympathetic fibers entering the lower part of the brachial plexus are affected, one of the manifestations of Dejerine-Klumpke palsy can be Horner's symptom (ptosis, pupil dilation and enophthalmos).

In addition to motor and sensory disorders, brachial plexitis is accompanied by trophic disorders that develop as a result of dysfunction of peripheral autonomic fibers. There is pastiness and marbling of the upper limb, increased sweating or anhidrosis, excessive thinning and dryness of the skin, and increased brittleness of the nails. The skin of the affected limb is easily injured, and the wounds do not heal for a long time.

Partial damage to the brachial plexus is often observed, causing either proximal Duchenne-Erb palsy or distal Dejerine-Klumpke palsy. More rarely, total brachial plexitis is observed, which includes the clinical picture of both of these paralysis. In exceptional cases, plexitis is bilateral, which is more typical for lesions of infectious, dysmetabolic or toxic origin.

Diagnostics

A neurologist can establish a diagnosis of “brachial plexitis” based on medical history, complaints and examination results, confirmed by electroneurographic examination, and in its absence, by electromyography. It is important to distinguish plexitis from brachial plexus neuralgia. The latter, as a rule, manifests itself after hypothermia, manifests itself as plexalgia and paresthesia, and is not accompanied by motor disorders. In addition, brachial plexitis should be differentiated from polyneuropathy, mononeuropathies of the nerves of the arm (neuropathy of the median nerve, neuropathy of the ulnar nerve and neuropathy of the radial nerve), pathology of the shoulder joint (arthritis, bursitis, arthrosis), glenohumeral periarthritis, radiculitis.

For the purpose of differential diagnosis and establishment of the etiology of plexitis, if necessary, a consultation with a traumatologist, orthopedist, rheumatologist, oncologist, and infectious disease specialist is carried out; Ultrasound of the shoulder joint, X-ray or CT scan of the shoulder joint, MRI of the brachial plexus area, X-ray of the lungs, blood sugar level testing, biochemical blood test, determination of RF and C-reactive protein, etc. examinations.

Treatment

Differentiated therapy is determined by the genesis of plexitis. According to indications, antibiotic therapy, antiviral treatment, immobilization of the injured shoulder joint, removal of hematoma or tumor, detoxification, and correction of metabolic disorders are carried out. In some cases (usually with obstetric paralysis), a joint decision with a neurosurgeon is required on the advisability of surgical intervention - plastic surgery of the nerve trunks of the plexus.

The general direction of treatment is vasoactive and metabolic therapy, which provides improved nutrition and, therefore, faster restoration of nerve fibers. Patients with brachial plexitis receive pentoxifylline, complex preparations of B vitamins, nicotinic acid, and ATP. Some physiotherapy procedures are also aimed at improving the trophism of the affected plexus - electrophoresis, mud therapy, thermal procedures, massage.

Of no small importance is given to symptomatic therapy, including relief of plexalgia. Patients are prescribed NSAIDs (diclofenac, metamizole sodium, etc.), therapeutic blockades with novocaine, hydrocortisone ultraphonophoresis, UHF, reflexology. To support muscles, improve blood circulation and prevent contractures of the joints of the affected arm, a special complex of exercise therapy and massage of the upper limb is recommended. During the recovery period, repeated courses of neurometabolic therapy and massage are carried out, exercise therapy is continuously carried out with a gradual increase in load.

Prognosis and prevention

Timely initiation of treatment, successful elimination of the causative trigger (hematoma, tumor, injury, infection, etc.), adequate restorative therapy usually contribute to the complete restoration of the function of the nerves of the affected plexus. If the start of therapy is delayed and the influence of the causative factor cannot be completely eliminated, brachial plexitis does not have a very favorable prognosis in terms of recovery. Over time, irreversible changes occur in muscles and tissues caused by their insufficient innervation; muscle atrophy and joint contractures are formed. Since the dominant hand is most often affected, the patient loses not only his professional capabilities, but also his ability to self-care.

Measures to prevent brachial plexitis include injury prevention, adequate choice of method of delivery and professional management of childbirth, compliance with operating techniques, timely treatment of injuries, infectious and autoimmune diseases, and correction of dysmetabolic disorders. Maintaining a normal regimen, healthy physical activity, and proper nutrition helps increase the resistance of nerve tissue to various adverse effects.

Sudden weakness in the hand, the inability to make this or that movement, vague pain that does not have an exact localization - all these are symptoms of a serious neurological disease. Brachial plexitis can develop for various reasons. Usually the disease is characterized as a chronic degenerative process with predominant damage to the motor and sensory axons of the nerve fiber. If symptoms of brachial plexitis appear, then treatment with complete restoration of all lost functions can only be carried out in the first 10 to 14 months. then the process of atrophy of the nerve fiber begins and it will be almost impossible to restore its functionality.

This article describes in detail the characteristic symptoms and treatment of plexitis of the shoulder joint using manual therapy techniques. If you notice similar signs in yourself or a loved one, we recommend that you do not hesitate and immediately seek professional medical help from a neurologist. You can also schedule a free consultation with a neurologist at our manual therapy clinic. During the first appointment, which is completely free, you will learn about the expected diagnosis, prospects and possibilities for conservative treatment of the pathology.

It is necessary to understand that plexitis of the shoulder joint is a dangerous condition that can lead to complete loss of mobility of the upper limb. This is not a lesion of one nerve, but of an entire plexus and bundle, which is responsible for the innervation of all tissues of the upper limb. the primary clinical sign is pain, which is subsequently supplemented by symptoms of autonomic dysfunction. In particular, the patient may complain of a lack of motor activity, decreased skin sensitivity, muscle weakness, a feeling of coldness in the hand, the appearance of paresthesia, crawling, etc.

Basically, the clinical picture is formed due to the severity of the lesion that caused the cause of plexitis and the continuation of its negative impact. if it was an injury, then the increase in clinical symptoms will occur extremely slowly. But if the cause is cervical osteochondrosis and intervertebral disc herniation, then the clinical picture will develop intensively with an increasing load on the radicular nerves.

Self-diagnosis is not effective, since only an experienced orthopedist can distinguish brachial plexitis from other degenerative diseases. To clarify the diagnosis, a series of laboratory tests will be required. This could be an x-ray, MRI, ultrasound, arthroscopy, electromyography, electroneurography, blood tests to exclude rheumatism, etc.

Causes of plexitis of the brachial plexus nerve

In the formation of the brachial nerve plexus, axons arise from the radicular nerves located in the spaces between the 5-8 cervical vertebrae and the first thoracic vertebrae. Accordingly, the development of osteochondrosis with protrusion of the intervertebral disc in this area can contribute to the development of brachial plexitis.

This plexus is responsible for innervation, motor function and sensitivity of all tissues of the upper limb and the shoulder itself. When the entire brachial plexus is damaged, Kehrer's palsy is formed, in which motor and sensory functions may be completely absent. Differential diagnosis must be carried out with acute cerebrovascular accident.

Plexitis of the brachial plexus of the upper part of the cervical spine with damage to the C5-C8 radicular nerves causes the development of proximal paralysis, which bears the names of doctors Duchenne and Erb. And when diagnosing distal muscular paralysis of Dejerine-Klumpke, we can say that the patient’s radicular nerves C8-Th1 were damaged.

Depending on the cause that provoked it, plexitis of the brachial nerve can be toxic or infectious, traumatic or compression, ischemic or metabolic, tumor or autoimmune.

Let's consider the most common causes of the development of this neurological disease:

traumatic effects, including on the shoulder joint, axillary area, collar area of the neck;
fractures of the shoulder, clavicle, scapula, acromion process;
sprains of the ligamentous apparatus with the formation of rough scars that disrupt the passage of nerve fibers;
tuberculosis infection of soft tissues with foci of spread along the spinal column;
work in conditions of increased harmfulness (for example, miners with constant contact with vibrating jackhammers risk damage to the brachial plexus of nerves very quickly);
long walking on crutches (when the axillary area is compressed, regular microscopic injury to the brachial plexus occurs with the gradual formation of a clinical picture of plexitis);
in children, birth injuries predominate due to violations of the technique of providing obstetric care;
compression effect on the radicular nerves due to intervertebral hernias and protrusions;
wearing clothing that is tight in the armpit and collar area;
development of hematomas in the area of the brachial plexus;
tumor growth, lymphadenopathy and neoplasm metastasis to the axillary group of lymph nodes;
malnutrition due to deformation of the bloodstream, for example, with diabetic angiopathy;
surgical interventions;
previous purulent tonsillitis, chronic tonsillitis, brucellosis, syphilis, etc.

All possible causes of the development of brachial plexitis should be excluded at the stage of differential diagnosis. Complete successful treatment is impossible if the cause of the disease continues to act. There will be a deterioration in the innervation process, since transformative pressure will continue to be exerted on the damaged brachial plexus.

Symptoms of shoulder plexitis

The first symptom of brachial plexitis is plexalgia (pain syndrome). It can be shooting, stabbing, cutting, aching or boring. The pain can be localized in the shoulder, forearm, collar area, etc. often the pain syndrome is localized in the clavicle area and then spreads along the outer and inner surfaces of the upper limb.

All symptoms of plexitis of the shoulder joint intensify in the evening and at night. the patient complains that he literally cannot find a suitable position for sleeping at night. any movement causes severe aggravation of pain in the upper limb.

As the clinical picture of brachial plexitis develops, the following symptoms appear:

constantly increasing muscle weakness;
decreased muscle strength - the patient cannot even hold a cup filled with tea in his hand;
impaired mobility in the shoulder, elbow and wrist joints;
inability to bend the arm completely;
inability to move your arm away from you and return it to the reverse position without outside help;
with Dejerine-Klumpke palsy, while mobility in the shoulder and elbow joints is preserved, movements in the wrist joint and hand are affected.

When conducting functional tests, the neurologist can determine a decrease in intensity or complete loss of some reflexes. The elbow reflex is mainly affected. less often, the absence of a carporadial reflex is detected.

Hyperesthesia and increased sensitivity of the skin is defined by the patient as a condition when all “nerves are exposed.” At the initial stage of development of brachial plexitis, crawling sensations regularly occur. Then these sensations develop into constant itching of the skin. Then there is a decrease in skin sensitivity.

In the later stages of brachial plexitis, trophic disorders occur - ulcers appear, the skin becomes dry and pale. This is a consequence of a violation of the innervation of the bloodstream. Capillaries lose their tone and do not transport blood to all soft tissues in a timely manner. The pastiness of the skin may be accompanied by slight swelling that occurs due to improper venous outflow. Increased sweating with marbling of the epidermis gradually turns into the absence of sweat secretion and complete paleness of the skin.

Many women suffer from constant brittleness of the nail plate. Various creams and restorative compositions are used, but the problem persists. Because the real cause of brittle nails is brachial plexitis.

Most often, plexitis of the shoulder joint is a unilateral disease, i.e. Nerve fibers are affected only on one side. Bilateral brachial plexitis can be metabolic due to diabetes mellitus or toxic.

How to treat post-traumatic plexitis of the shoulder joint

Post-traumatic brachial plexitis is a fairly common disease that can occur after a ligament and tendon sprain, clavicle fracture, shoulder dislocation, etc. Post-traumatic plexitis often occurs with constant use of crutches. Representatives of certain professions are susceptible to microscopic injuries: builders, painters, finishers, hairdressers, etc.

Before brachial plexitis is treated, a diagnostic examination must be performed. Then, after the diagnosis is made, it is necessary to exclude the continuation of traumatic exposure. If the patient detects the presence of scar tissue in the area of injury, then measures must be taken to remove it. This can be done surgically. But it is safer to remove scar changes using manual therapy and laser techniques.

Plexitis of the shoulder joint can be treated effectively and safely using several methods: conservatively, surgically, pharmacologically. The most effective methods of influence are manual, physiotherapeutic and kinesiotherapy. The first stage of therapy is to restore nutrition and position of the brachial nerve plexus. Then measures are taken aimed at restoring the lost functionality of the soft tissues of the upper limb.

Complex treatment of plexitis of the nerve of the shoulder joint

Treatment of brachial plexitis should be comprehensive. At the initial consultation in our manual therapy clinic, the neurologist gives individual recommendations to each patient. They are aimed at eliminating negative influence factors. A treatment plan is then developed individually.

It may include various techniques. To treat plexitis of the shoulder joint, the following therapeutic conservative methods can be used:

traction traction of the spinal column, if plexitis is caused by osteochondrosis and its complications;
osteopathy and massage to restore microcirculation of blood and lymphatic fluid;
reflexology - by influencing biologically active points on the human body it is possible to start the process of tissue regeneration;
therapeutic exercises and kinesiotherapy restore muscle strength and the ability to perform any movements of the upper limbs;
physiotherapy, laser treatment, electromyostimulation.

If you need effective and safe treatment for brachial nerve plexitis, you can schedule a free initial consultation with a neurologist at our manual therapy clinic. Here you will be given a preliminary diagnosis, a special examination will be recommended and information about treatment options will be provided.

Plexopathy (plexitis) of the shoulder joint can affect a person at any age. This disease is characterized by inflammatory damage to the nerve fibers of the brachial plexus and occurs after injuries, in the presence of concomitant pathologies and for other reasons. Plexitis is not a harmless disease. If treated incorrectly, it can reduce a person’s ability to work and lead to disability.

To avoid unwanted complications, you should begin to fight the disease immediately after its first signs appear. Medicines prescribed by a doctor, physical therapy and alternative remedies will help the patient with this.

Distinctive features of pathology, its types

The brachial plexus includes nerve fibers coming from the cervical, spinal and thoracic spine and connecting the neck to the sternum. These fibers form bundles surrounding the axillary artery and are responsible for the functioning of the upper limbs. , affecting the brachial nerves, lead to the appearance of painful sensations in the arm located on the side of development of the pathological process. This entails a decrease in motor activity of the affected limb and the inability to perform simple actions (hold a pen, brush your teeth, insert a key into a keyhole, etc.).

A severe form of plexopathy can lead to complete loss of sensation in the limb, muscle atrophy, and even paralysis.

Depending on the location of the inflammatory process, experts distinguish 3 types of plexitis:

total (spreads throughout the brachial plexus);
upper, or Duchenne-Erb's palsy (observed with inflammation of the upper trunk of the brachial plexus);
lower, or Dejerine-Klumpke palsy (changes in the lower branches of the brachial plexus).

Brachial plexus plexitis primarily affects one arm, but in severe cases the pathological process can spread to both upper limbs. The pathology does not belong to the category of age-related diseases; it affects both adult patients and children. Most people are diagnosed with plexitis between the ages of 20 and 60, with men getting it much more often than women.

Reasons

Plexitis occurs for various reasons. Factors that can provoke it are:

damage to the brachial or cervical nerve plexuses due to sprains, dislocations and bruises of the shoulder joint, injuries;
birth injuries in children caused by incorrect presentation of the fetus, prolonged presence of the child inside the birth canal, etc.;
costoclavicular syndrome;
prolonged stay of a person in an uncomfortable position, leading to compression of the brachial nerves (observed in bedridden patients and people leading a sedentary lifestyle);
osteochondrosis localized in the neck or sternum;
diseases arising from metabolic disorders (gout, diabetes mellitus);
pathologies of the lymphatic system;
herpes, influenza and other illnesses of infectious etiology;
benign or malignant tumors;
prolonged hypothermia (hypothermia).

Symptoms

Shoulder plexopathy will help you recognize its characteristic symptoms. These include:

pain of varying degrees of intensity, localized in the brachial plexus area and on the inner surface of the hand;
impaired fine motor skills of the affected part of the body;
paresthesia of the inner side of the hand.

With plexitis of infectious origin, the patient often experiences pathological changes in the organ of vision located on the side of the limb affected by the disease (constriction of the pupil, impaired function of the extraocular muscles, enophthalmos of the eyeball).

Post-traumatic plexopathy is often accompanied by pain in the supraclavicular and subclavian areas, radiating to the arm. The disease is also characterized by swelling of the affected hand, bluish discoloration of the skin, sweating of the palm, changes in the shape and color of the nail plates, atrophic paresis and paralysis, and a weak pulse in the radial artery.

Upper brachial plexopathy (Duchenne-Erb palsy) has its own characteristics. This type of pathology is accompanied by decreased sensitivity of the outer surface of the shoulder and forearm and difficulties with moving the arm to the sides or bending it at the elbow joint.

Diagnostic methods

Diagnosing plexitis today is not difficult. For many people, it is carried out by a specialist (traumatologist, neurologist or orthopedist) based on the patient’s complaints and research results, including:

X-ray;
electromyography;
ultrasound examination;
magnetic resonance imaging.

Traditional approaches to therapy

Treatment of plexitis of the shoulder joint is determined by the doctor based on the results of the examination of the patient. If the disease is detected at the initial stage, it is possible to get rid of it at home, following the therapy prescribed by the doctor. An advanced form of plexopathy requires inpatient treatment.

In the fight against the disease, specialists use an integrated approach, with the help of which not only its symptoms are stopped, but also the causes that led to its development are eliminated. For people diagnosed with brachial plexus plexopathy, doctors recommend treatment with medications. Traditional therapy includes the use of drugs with analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects, agents to increase conductivity in nerve fibers and increase blood circulation, cyanocobalamin and thiamine.

In parallel with taking medications, patients are prescribed physiotherapeutic treatment. Physiotherapy methods used for pathology include:

massage;
balneo- and laser therapy;
mud therapy;
electrophoresis;
UHF therapy;
inductophoresis;
use of pulsed currents;
ultraphonotherapy with hydrocortisone, etc.

Physiotherapy increases the effectiveness of medications and speeds up recovery.

An auxiliary method of treating brachial plexus plexopathy is physical therapy, which is recommended after the acute period of the disease has ended. Exercise therapy for plexitis helps reduce pain in the hand and increase its sensitivity. It includes a set of exercises to strengthen the muscles of the shoulders, forearm and hand.

Exercises for plexitis should be performed 2-3 times a day, devoting at least 15 minutes to each physical activity. The treatment complex includes the following exercises:

alternately lowering and raising the shoulders;
spreading and retracting the shoulder blades;
slow bending of the arms at the elbows and shoulder joints;
circular and cross swings of arms;
raising straight arms above your head;
exercises on the wall bars and exercise machines (they should be performed under the supervision of an instructor).

Patients with plexitis of the shoulder joint should do exercises while standing, performing each exercise 7–10 times. In addition to physical therapy, they are recommended to take swimming classes and moderate physical activity.

It is recommended to treat brachial plexopathy surgically in extreme cases, when the factors that provoked the disease are traumatic plexitis, costoclavicular syndrome and other pathologies, which cannot be eliminated by conservative methods.

Fighting the disease with traditional methods

People diagnosed with plexitis of the shoulder joint can use non-traditional remedies in parallel with traditional methods of therapy. They help alleviate the condition of a sick person and make treatment of the disease more effective.

In the fight against pathology, representatives of alternative medicine recommend using white willow (willow) bark. For medicinal purposes, it is recommended to pour 200 ml of boiling water into 15 g of crushed plant material and leave for 40 minutes. Gauze folded in 4 layers should be moistened in the resulting infusion and applied to the sore spot for 1 hour. The compress helps reduce pain and stop the progression of the disease.
Treatment with folk remedies is recommended using an alcohol infusion of mumiyo (10%). To restore hand sensitivity, the solution should be rubbed into the affected joint daily for 5 minutes.
With brachial plexus plexitis, the patient is recommended to take warm baths with the addition of mint decoction every evening before bed. Such water procedures help reduce the intensity of inflammation and pain in the problem area and speed up recovery.

How to treat shoulder plexitis

Plexitis of the shoulder joint is a pathology in which the nerve plexus in the shoulder joint is inflammatory in nature. The brachial plexus consists of nerves that arise from the cervical and thoracic spine.

The causes of the disease can be different: infectious process, trauma, autoimmune reactions, metabolic disorders.

In any case, inflammatory damage to the nerve fibers and disruption of the innervation of the shoulder joint and arm occurs, which is manifested by characteristic signs.

Typical symptoms of plexitis: pain in the periclavicular area, impaired sensitivity, paresis and paralysis, decreased muscle reflexes, impaired nutrition of hand tissues. Most often, unilateral brachial plexitis develops, but the lesion can also be bilateral.

Timely treatment begins to guarantee successful restoration of innervation. For therapy, you can use traditional medicine. This treatment aims to warm the affected area and improve blood flow. Folk remedies are safe and do not cause side effects.

Causes of brachial plexitis

The nerve plexus of the shoulder joint consists of external, posterior and internal bundles that intertwine the axillary artery.

This plexus is formed by motor and sensory nerve fibers that innervate the arm. Most often, a person develops unilateral damage to the nerve plexus.

It can be total or partial, depending on whether the entire plexus or part of it is affected.

Shoulder plexitis can occur in people of any age. Most often, such a lesion develops in physically active young people aged 20 to 60 years. Shoulder plexitis can develop in men and women, but the former suffer from this pathology somewhat more often.

In some cases, plexitis of the shoulder joint develops in newborns and is a birth injury. During long, difficult labor, stretching of the nerve plexus fibers is possible. Often this condition is accompanied by a fracture of the collarbone.

Causes of postpartum plexitis of the shoulder joint:

prolonged presence of the fetus in the woman’s birth canal;
broad shoulders of a newborn;
the hand of the fetus lowered down.

However, most often shoulder plexitis develops in adults. Various reasons can lead to the occurrence of the disease:

About a quarter of all patients suffer from an infectious form of brachial plexitis. Infectious damage to nerve cells can be viral or bacterial in nature.
Injuries. Various injuries to the arm, back and neck can lead to the development of the disease: sprains, dislocation of the shoulder joint, fractures, bruises, open wounds.
Compression of the brachial plexus. Such compression can occur during prolonged use of a crutch, during prolonged stay in an uncomfortable position, as well as due to the growth of a tumor or arterial aneurysm.
Autoimmune diseases in which the plexus cells of the shoulder joint are damaged by a person’s own immune complexes.
Metabolic diseases, such as diabetes. Metabolic disorders can lead to malnutrition of the brachial plexus.
Spinal diseases: osteochondrosis, presence of cervical ribs.
In most cases, patients develop unilateral plexitis affecting the dominant arm.

This makes the disease even more severe, since in advanced cases the arm on the affected side is completely inactive, and the person is helpless.

Symptoms of the disease

At the initial stage of the disease, pain syndrome develops. A person experiences pain in the shoulder joint, which can often occur at night.

Pain increases when the joint moves or when pressure is applied to the nerve plexus. The pain is localized near the collarbone and radiates to the arm.

The pain may be shooting or aching.

As the disease progresses, the pain intensifies, and additional symptoms of dysfunction of the nerve fibers arise:

impaired fine motor skills of the hands;
development of paralysis and paresis;
reduction of muscle reflexes;
impaired tactile sensitivity;
deterioration of blood supply to the limb: pallor or cyanosis of the skin, swelling of the hand, increased sweating;
violation of the process of flexion of the elbow joint;
Some patients experience constriction of the pupil on the affected side and a deepening of the eyeball.

The patient may experience all or part of these symptoms, depending on how widespread the damage to the nerve plexus is.

Treatment of the disease should be comprehensive and aimed at eliminating the cause of the disease.

The therapy uses folk remedies that warm the joint and improve blood flow in the damaged area.

This helps the body fight inflammation on its own. Anti-inflammatory drugs can also be used.

External folk remedies

Healing baths are also used in the treatment of the disease. Baths can be taken daily or several times a week. The water temperature should not be too hot.

For baths, decoctions of medicinal herbs are used, which have an anti-inflammatory effect. The procedure lasts 15 minutes. Baths are best taken before bed. After them, you need to go to bed, wrap yourself warmly and completely relax.

Baths with mint, chamomile, calendula, sage and other medicinal herbs or infusions have a healing effect. To prepare a bath, 50 g of plant material is poured with half a liter of boiling water, left for half an hour, then filtered and poured into the bath.

Decoctions for oral administration strengthen the immune system and have an anti-inflammatory effect. This treatment improves a person’s overall well-being. The use of such drugs must be combined with healing baths and external remedies.

Traditional recipes for oral administration

Medicinal collection No. 1. Mix two teaspoons of dandelion roots and leaves and parsley seeds and three tablespoons of buckthorn bark and mint leaves. Steam 2 tablespoons of this mixture in half a liter of boiling water, boil over low heat for 2-3 minutes, then leave to steep overnight and filter. Give the patient ¼ cup of this decoction 2-3 times a day.
Corn silks. To prepare the infusion in a glass of boiling water, you need to take two teaspoons of crushed corn silks. Boil over low heat for 5 minutes, then filter. Standard dosage: 50 ml 3-4 times a day.
Strawberries. You need to prepare a decoction of strawberry leaves. For 1 cup of boiling water, take 1 tablespoon of crushed leaves, leave for a quarter of an hour, then filter. Standard dosage: 1 glass of infusion 2-3 times a day.
Lingonberry. Leaves of this plant are taken for infusion. For a glass of boiling water use 2 dessert spoons of crushed leaves. The drug is infused for 15 minutes and filtered. A glass of infusion is drunk in small portions throughout the day.

Physical therapy is also important in therapy.

Physical exercises and joint development contribute to a speedy recovery and restoration of normal innervation of the arm. Special exercises are used for treatment.

It is important to remember that intense physical activity is prohibited in this condition, as this can cause additional injuries and worsen the patient's condition. Exercise should be low intensity, but should be done daily.

Therapeutic exercise for the shoulder joint

Move your shoulders up and down. Repeat the exercise 10 times.
Reduction of the shoulder blades. Retract your shoulder blades as much as possible, then relax. These movements are also repeated 10 times.
Circular movements of the shoulders: bend your arms at the elbows, place your fingers on your shoulders and rotate your arm in the shoulder joint, first 8 times forward, then the same number of times back.
Bend sideways in the direction of the injury, hang your hand and draw circles with it, first 8 times clockwise, then the same number of times counterclockwise.
Bend forward, bend and straighten your arm at the elbow 8 times. If this exercise is difficult to do, you can help yourself with your healthy arm.
Extend your affected arm forward, make a fist and rotate it clockwise and counterclockwise. Repeat rotation 10 times.

Prognosis and prevention

With timely diagnosis and comprehensive treatment of the disease, the prognosis is favorable: it is possible to completely restore the innervation of the hand.

To prevent plexitis, you need to lead a healthy lifestyle and exercise. Swimming is a good preventative measure.

This sport provides adequate stress on the shoulder joint, and also promotes well-being and improved health.

Source: http://nmed.org/pleksit-plechevogo-sustava.html

About plexitis of the shoulder joint, characteristic symptoms and treatment methods

The appearance of painful sensations in the body negatively affects a person’s condition in any aspect. But it’s especially difficult when pain makes it difficult or impossible to complete the simplest tasks.

Thus, the symptoms of plexitis of the shoulder joint can disable the arm.

The success of treating the disease depends on the timeliness and completeness of the diagnosis: if the problem is detected as early as possible, the probability of a complete cure is quite high, but delay threatens the emergence of serious complications, including loss of control over the hand.

Plexitis, or plexopathy, of the shoulder joint in medicine is usually called an inflammatory pathology affecting the branches of the nerve plexus located in the shoulder near the subclavian artery.

The degree of damage to nerve fibers in plexitis of the shoulder joint can vary from local inflammation of individual nerve bundles to the spread of the inflammatory process along the entire long branch of the nerve trunk, innervating the skin and muscles of the adjacent upper limb from the shoulder to the fingertips.

The presence of the disease is indicated by pain not only in the area of the shoulder joint and collarbone, but also in the neck, scapular region, and arm.

Due to the fact that in most cases the pathology affects the dominant hand, a person suffering from plexitis partially or completely loses his ability to work.

Types of plexitis of the shoulder joint

The disease can be left- or right-sided, and there is also a bilateral form, which is considered the most complex.

Bilateral brachial plexitis is accompanied by excruciating painful symptoms and weakness in both arms and requires longer treatment and a lengthy course of rehabilitation.

Depending on the factor causing the pathology, plexitis is divided into the following types:

Toxic, in which the disease is preceded by poisoning.
Traumatic, occurring after mechanical damage to the nerve plexus.
Infectious, caused by the penetration of pathological microorganisms into the nervous tissue.
Dysmetabolic, associated with metabolic disorders.
Infectious-allergic, occurring as a reaction of the body to certain types of vaccines.
Compression-ischemic, which is caused by prolonged compression of nerves or staying in an uncomfortable position, which disrupts tissue nutrition processes.

Causes of inflammation

The brachial plexus is formed by the lower cervical and upper thoracic spinal nerves.

The following factors can lead to their inflammation:

Traumatic injuries – dislocations, fractures, wounds, sprains and bruises in the area of the collarbone and shoulder joint.
Long-term irritating effects on the nerves that form the brachial plexus due to the characteristics of professional activity (the effect of vibration), compression of the nerve branches due to an uncomfortable posture during sleep, walking with crutches.
Thoracic or cervical osteochondrosis.
Hypothermia.
Birth trauma in a child.
Pathologies of lymph nodes.
Viral or bacterial infection (cytomegalovirus, herpes, etc.).
Compression of nerve fibers by malignant neoplasms, accessory cervical ribs or an aneurysm - a pathological protrusion of the wall of a nearby blood vessel.
Metabolic disorders and related diseases - diabetes, gout, etc.

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Plexitis of the shoulder joint differs in the nature of its course (chronic or acute), the extent of damage to the nerve bundles and the stages of the process.

It is customary to distinguish the following stages of pathology:

neuralgic, when the patient is bothered by a sharp pain that worsens when trying to move the arm in the shoulder joint;
paralytic, which manifests itself in a decrease in strength in the hand on the side of the affected brachial plexus (monoparesis), or in the complete absence of voluntary movements of the limb (paralysis).

Symptoms are directly dependent on damage to specific bundles of nerves in the brachial plexus. Disruption of innervation contributes to deterioration of trophism in tissues, swelling of the limb, decreased reflexes, and all types of sensitivity.

In some cases, the disease spreads to the cervical plexus, causing pain in the neck, back of the head, paresis of the deep cervical muscles and diaphragm with impaired head movements and persistent hiccups.

The development of shoulder plexitis is characterized by the presence of the following typical symptoms:

paralysis and atrophy of small muscles of the hand involving the flexor muscles of the fingers and wrist;
decrease or loss of sensitivity of the skin surface of the forearm and fingers;
pain localized in the brachial plexus area, as well as spreading along the inner surface of the arm to the hand.

The pain described by patients can be of a different nature. They can be aching, aching, shooting or drilling. Symptoms of paresthesia are mainly observed in the lower part of the affected arm.

With the infectious-toxic nature of the pathology, sensitivity often decreases, reflexes are weakened and lost.

Increased sweating, bluishness of the skin and nails, swelling of the hand, and weak pulsation of the radial artery may appear.

All of the above manifestations are a consequence of vascular and trophic disorders.

With such a development of pathology, additional symptoms of infectious plexitis also appear: regional lymph nodes on the affected side (cervical, supraclavicular, subclavian, axillary, etc.) enlarge and become painful upon palpation.

In rare cases, with complicated plexitis, dysfunction of the eyelids on the affected side, narrowing of the pupil (miosis), and deepening of the eyeball (enophthalmos) may occur.

Diagnostic tests

If plexitis is suspected, after an initial examination, the doctor may prescribe the following diagnostic tests to the patient:

X-ray of the shoulder.
MRI or CT scan of the affected area.
Surface neuromyography (study with a special device of the ability of nerves to transmit impulses under conditions of additional stimulation).
Laboratory blood tests.

During the diagnostic process, the doctor excludes the possibility of the patient developing brachial plexus neuritis, glenohumeral periarthrosis and cervical radiculitis.

Treatment methods

The goal of the treatment measures for plexitis is to get rid of the causes that caused the disease. In this case, the following tasks are solved:

pain is eliminated,
measures are taken to improve blood circulation and nutrition of the tissues of the affected area,
normal nerve function is restored,
the functional abilities of the sore arm return.

Depending on the factors that triggered the development of the disease, the following treatment methods are used:

After an injury that causes plexitis, treatment consists of immobilizing the damaged area - applying a fixing bandage to the area of the shoulder joint for a certain period or using a special orthosis. Subsequently, a course of therapeutic exercises is prescribed, starting from the simplest exercises and ending with complex ones.
If plexitis is infectious, the nature of the infection is determined, the necessary medications are selected correctly, and antiviral or antibacterial therapy is prescribed. Antibacterial treatment may be accompanied by local or general anti-inflammatory and analgesic therapy. Additionally, a course of vitamin therapy is carried out, in which special attention is paid to B vitamins.
Compression plexitis caused by a tumor is treated with surgery.
Plexitis caused by cervicothoracic osteochondrosis can be treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, muscle relaxants, massage, physical therapy and physiotherapeutic procedures.
For plexitis of ischemic and metabolic-dystrophic etiology, gradual and long-term therapy is necessary.

After the main course of treatment and elimination of the factor contributing to the development of plexitis, they move on to healing types of procedures designed to eliminate all symptoms of the disease, restore normal blood supply, trophism in the tissues, sensitivity and motor functions of the shoulder joint and the affected limb.

therapeutic ozokerite, paraffin and mud applications;
if the pain syndrome persists, electrophoresis using lidocaine and novocaine;
massage shower;
balneotherapy;
acupuncture;
amplipulse therapy (electrical stimulation of the shoulder area);
exercise therapy classes.

The success and speed of treatment of brachial plexitis directly depend on the speed of the patient’s visit to the doctor after the discovery of characteristic symptoms.

According to statistics from American doctors, the lack of adequate treatment for plexitis within a year causes an extremely low percentage of complete recovery (less than 10% of cases).

To avoid such an outcome, the appearance of persistent pain in the shoulder requires immediate examination by an experienced specialist in order to identify the cause of the pathology and prescribe appropriate treatment.

Source: http://pomogispine.com/bolit-v/konechnosti/pleksit-plechevogo-sustava.html

Plexitis of the shoulder joint - how to treat?

After a bad fall, injury, viral infection, or for no apparent reason, pain suddenly occurs in the shoulder joint, the inability to move your fingers or raise your arm. What kind of disease is this - plexitis of the shoulder joint, why is it dangerous and how to quickly recover and avoid complications?

Plexitis in the shoulder joint is a very unpleasant disease that occurs for various reasons. It results in the inability to move the affected arm and is accompanied by severe pain.

What is it, how to determine plexitis? This is an inflammation of the nerve fibers or area of nervous tissue in the shoulder joint, which leads to disruption of innervation and movement in the affected joint.

There may be a decrease in the sensitivity of the skin on the outside of the shoulder and forearm and damage to the muscles responsible for moving the arm. When the entire brachial plexus becomes inflamed, paresis (muscle weakening) or paralysis of the arm is possible.

The patient cannot move his fingers or bend his arm, and this gradually leads to muscle atrophy.

Causes of plexitis of the shoulder joint

The brachial plexus is formed by branches of many nerve fibers - 4 lower branches of the cervical nerves, 1 branch of the thoracic nerve.

In addition, it has quite significant dimensions and a complex structure. The causes of the disease are varied: from birth injuries to viral infections.

Therefore, it is not always possible to accurately determine what caused the onset of the disease.

The most common reasons:

Injuries to nerve endings as a result of dislocations, sprains, fractures of the bones of the shoulder joint, and fracture of the collarbone.
Compression of the brachial plexus as a result of prolonged stay in one position, when working in uncomfortable conditions, in bedridden patients or small children.
Osteochondrosis of the cervical and thoracic vertebrae is one of the most common causes of plexitis.
Birth trauma – leads to plexitis of newborns.
Metabolic disorders - diabetes, gout, hormonal disorders.
Injuries resulting from blows, bruises and gunshot wounds to the neck.
The constant occurrence of microtraumas as a result of professional activities, the use of crutches, etc.
Cooling, viral and bacterial infections, inflammatory diseases of nearby organs.

What are the symptoms of the disease

In order to determine whether it really is plexitis, the doctor conducts an examination and pays attention to the following signs:

Complete or partial impairment of the functions of the upper limb - the inability to bend the arm, move the fingers, or perform any actions with the affected arm.
Pain when moving your arm - especially when trying to lift your arm or put it behind your back.
Decreased muscle strength - the patient cannot lift heavy objects or keep them suspended.
Impaired fine motor skills.
In severe cases, paresis and paralysis of the arm occurs, accompanied by muscle atrophy.

Newborns and older children are susceptible to the disease.

The most common cause of this disease in newborns is birth trauma.

During a difficult birth and incorrect obstetric tactics, hemorrhages, bruises and sprains of the nerve plexuses can occur.

Brachial plexitis occurs as a result of excessive stretching of nerve fibers due to:

childbirth in the breech or leg presentation,
mismatch in fetal size,
hand falling out of the birth canal,
prolonged standing of the fetus in the birth canal.

If nerve fibers are compressed or stretched, restoration of function begins within a few days. With proper treatment, it leaves no consequences.

With more severe injuries - rupture, bruises, hemorrhage in the nerve plexus, recovery is slow, muscle atrophy occurs, and developmental delays in the affected limb occur. Without intensive treatment and physical therapy, complications may arise in the form of contracture (limited passive movements), osteoporosis and growth retardation.

Diagnosis of this disease can be difficult, and treatment must begin as early as possible.

It is worth paying attention to the following symptoms in a newborn baby - general anxiety, constant crying, strange abduction of the arm, lack of movement and hypertonicity, pain when touching the arm, swelling in the shoulder joint.

Shoulder bandage

Diagnosis and treatment of plexitis

If the first signs of the disease occur, you should immediately contact a specialist.

The sooner treatment is started, the greater the chance of functional restoration and the absence of complications.

To make a diagnosis, the shoulder joint is examined and additional research methods are prescribed:

radiography;
neuromyography;
computed tomography;

In the acute period of the disease, it is necessary to ensure complete rest of the injured limb, give it an abduction position and fix the arm with a plaster splint, bending it at the elbow joint. After this, treatment is necessary to relieve inflammation and restore the functions of damaged nerves and muscles.

Drug therapy - analgesics to relieve pain and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, locally and orally.
Periarticular blockades using anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs.
Physiotherapeutic procedures - UHF on the area of the affected joint, electrophoresis with nicotinic acid, diadynamic currents and more.
Massage should be selected taking into account muscle lesions and aimed at eliminating muscle tissue atrophy.
Therapeutic exercise – special exercises are prescribed after an acute period of the disease.
Treatment with traditional methods - there are many traditional medicine recipes used for this disease. For example:
- compress with white willow bark - pour 15 g of crushed herbs into 1 cup of boiling water and leave for 1 hour,
- rub 10% mumiyo into the affected joint,
- soothing baths with mint infusion.

Traditional medicine - help in treatment

If any signs of the disease occur, you should not self-medicate; it is better to consult a specialist and follow his instructions.

Source: http://sustavu.ru/sustavy/plechevoj/pleksit-plechevogo-sustava.html

Treatment of shoulder plexitis

There are many ailments that can affect our body. Every disease tends to incapacitate us, make us unable to work and poison our lives. And brachial plexitis is no exception to these rules.

This disease is characterized by acute, severe pain that occurs due to damage to the nerve fibers of the joint.

Most often, the disease bothers the working hand, as a result of which we lose the ability to perform our usual activities.

Description of the disease

Our body is completely littered with nerve centers. Such plexuses of nerve fibers are the beginnings of the largest sections of the peripheral nervous system.

There are five such centers in total: brachial, sacral, lumbar, cervical and coccygeal. Plexitis is the name given to diseases that affect these same centers.

Among the most common is brachial plexitis, which is divided into upper, lower and total.

This disease is characterized by severe acute pain, which is initially localized in the collarbone area, and then begins to spread to the arm, neck, and shoulder blade.

More often it affects one specific limb - right or left. It depends on which one you use most often.

So, in right-handed people, plexitis of the shoulder joint of the right hand is more common.

Causes of the disease

Knowing the causes of a disease may be necessary in order to accurately determine the presence of the disease itself, as well as to prevent it in the future by eliminating factors from your life.

A quarter of all calls to specialists with complaints of pain in the shoulder joint of the limb are provoked by infectious diseases.

In second place are various damages, and in third place are disorders in the immune system.

We can list the most common culprits that cause concern to the patient. These are infectious diseases, including damage to the body by viruses.

Various injuries in the shoulder joint - sprains, fractures, bruises, cuts and others.

All kinds of microtraumas of the brachial plexus, most often resulting from prolonged compression of the nerve center. Metabolic disorders in the body.

Diabetes can be cited as the most common culprit in this group. Damage to the lymph nodes. Injuries resulting from childbirth and other less common causes, including hypothermia, osteochondrosis.

Having studied the main causes of damage to the brachial ganglion of the nervous system, you can move on to the symptoms to more accurately determine the disease.

Symptoms

Symptoms of plexitis of the shoulder joint are characterized by the presence of several manifestations at once: paralytic and neuralgic.

Neuralgic symptoms include the most important symptoms of the disease - severe and acute pain, which is localized to the collarbone area.

The pain may intensify with pressure and movements.

Very often the pain spreads along the nerve fibers. Specialists have to fight to eliminate it in the arm, shoulder blade and even neck.

Paralytic symptoms concern the muscles of the arm, the sensitivity of which, as well as motor activity, depends on the conductive function of the nerve plexus of the shoulder joint:

Paralysis and paresis, decreased arm strength, inability to perform basic actions, and in rare cases, muscle atrophy.
Reduced sensitivity.
Increased sweating of the palms.
Failures in reflexes - reactions to hot or cold, sharp pain.
Pallor of the hand, swelling, predominance of blue skin tone.

The symptoms presented are not a complete list.

Other discomforts or problems with the muscles attached to the arm bone may occur, but are less common.

In addition, you can list the symptoms characteristic of one or another group of causes of damage to the nerve plexus of the shoulder joint.

Treatment methods

Damage to the nerve plexus of the shoulder joint should be treated only after a comprehensive diagnosis. Based on its results, the exact cause of the disease will be determined, and during treatment it will be affected specifically.

Nerve plexus disease should be treated according to an individually developed scheme by a neurologist.

Most often, the complex of such measures includes additional conditions, such as preventing the arm muscles from freezing in the cold, standardized physical exercises.

exercise and stopping work with highly toxic substances.

If this is not done within a year, atrophy of the muscles of the limb may develop, which will ultimately lead to disability.

During treatment, painkillers are prescribed.

After the pain is stopped and removed, they begin to directly eliminate the cause of damage to the nerve plexus.

For this purpose, physical therapy is actively used. exercises, physiotherapy, including electrophoresis, and sometimes resort to folk remedies.

Physiotherapy

Electrophoresis is the most commonly used physical procedure to treat such a disease. Its essence is that medicinal components, under the influence of electric current from electrodes, penetrate into the shallow layers of the epidermis, where they enter the blood through capillaries.

Electrophoresis has three mechanisms of action at once. Reflex - due to indirect reactions. Humoral - due to the fact that drugs penetrate the blood and lymphatic system.

Local - due to the fact that medical agents penetrate into the place where the pain is localized in a concentrated state.

Electrophoresis has analgesic, sedative, and anti-inflammatory effects.

The current from the electrodes helps improve metabolism, nutrition of organs and tissues.

Electrophoresis, thanks to the electric current from the electrodes, promotes the production and release of biologically active substances into the blood.

Therapeutic gymnastics

After the most severe pain has been eliminated, you can begin to perform physical exercises to develop mobility of the shoulder joint, as well as to develop the muscles attached to the bone of the affected limb. Such physical exercises can be represented by the following list:

alternating raising and releasing the shoulders, bringing and spreading the shoulder blades;
performing smooth circular movements with the shoulder joints;
flexion and extension movements of the affected limb;
a set of exercises on the Swedish wall;
performing forearm turns;
cross and swing movements.

When performing exercises, you should monitor your condition with special trepidation. If severe pain occurs, you should stop performing such physical procedures.

When medications don't help

The disease can also be treated at home. The main thing is not to forget to follow the doctor’s instructions. Self-massage and folk remedies can be effective helpers in the fight against the disease. Self-massage should be performed standing or sitting.

Treatment with folk remedies can be a serious help in the fight against such a serious illness.

Folk remedies were developed by our ancestors over many centuries. Their advantages include environmentally friendly components.

Treatment with folk remedies can be represented by the following list:

Cabbage compress. Hold a white cabbage leaf over the steam and apply it to the place where the pain is located before going to bed. Remove the compress in the morning.

Willow bark compress. Pour 15 grams of finely chopped bark into 250 ml of boiling water, leave for an hour, then strain, wet a towel and apply to your shoulder overnight.

Propolis ointment. Crush three grams of propolis and mix with 50 grams of lard. Rub the ointment into your shoulder, shoulder blade and upper arm.

Willow porridge. Grind the willow leaves to a paste, then apply to the sore joint and secure with a bandage.

Mint bath. Pour the prepared mint decoction into a bath with comfortable water. Water procedures should not exceed 15 minutes. After them, you should immediately lie down in a warm bed. Contraindicated for persons with cardiovascular diseases.

The presented folk remedies are not a complete list. You can find many more methods of treatment that can be called traditional.

Plexitis of the shoulder joint or brachioplexitis is a disease that affects the nerve plexuses in the joint. Damage occurs partially or completely, affecting the nerve branches. The disease progresses if treatment for plexitis of the shoulder joint is not started in a timely manner or is not completed completely. The development of pathology can even lead to complete loss of ability to work in the upper limb.

The leading sign of plexitis is acute pain - it penetrates the arm along the entire length of the limb and radiates to the neck and collarbone. It is this symptom that forces patients to go to the clinic for help. The inflammatory process in the nerves threatens the patient with destructive changes in the nerve trunks themselves, as a result of which the sensitivity of the hand is significantly reduced and muscle atrophy occurs. All this ultimately leads to loss of limb functionality.

Statistics say that brachial plexitis in most cases affects people of working age - the disease occurs most often in the age group of patients from 30 to 50 years. The number of cases in the risk group especially increases when patients are engaged in physical labor, lead an active lifestyle, or play sports professionally - such patients are often diagnosed with post-traumatic plexopathy.

An interesting fact is that the disease can affect a limb regardless of which hand a person uses - plexitis occurs in both the left and right limbs. And in some cases, plexitis is a consequence of birth trauma. If during labor the child’s natural position of the shoulder joint was disrupted, pinching or subluxation occurred, which contributed to the development of plexitis.

Reasons

The leading reason why a person develops plexitis of the shoulder joint is an injury in the shoulder area. This can happen in the most unexpected cases, and even a minor household injury can cause shoulder pathology. Plexitis can be triggered by a fall from the stairs, a blow to the shoulder as a result of a fight, an unsuccessful turn of the arm during training, etc. Non-standard situations, such as an accident, a work injury, also cause the development of plexitis.

IMPORTANT! The disease develops as a result of a dislocation, fracture, severe bruise, as a result of which the nerve endings are compressed by the hematoma or they are torn.

In addition to injuries, plexitis of the shoulder joint develops for a number of other reasons:

as a result of diseases of the spine, when the load is redistributed to the collarbone and shoulder joint. Typically, such a provoking factor is osteochondrosis in the cervical or thoracic spine;
if a person is in an uncomfortable position for a long time and the nerves of the shoulder joint are pinched;
microtraumas of the brachial plexus that occur over a long period of time (for example, when using crutches);
during hypothermia, when the nerve endings get cold;
if the patient has metabolic pathologies, for example, diabetes or gout;
diseases of the lymphatic vessels;
in case of a shoulder injury, which is accompanied by a violation of the integrity of the skin and soft tissues - this can be a gunshot or knife wound, plexitis also occurs with an open fracture or dislocation;
if the patient has an aneurysm of the subclavian artery, a vessel that supplies the nerve endings in the shoulder joint. In this case, the aneurysm provokes circulatory disorders and ischemia of the plexuses (costoclavicular syndrome);
if the patient has a tumor (Pancoast cancer) that compresses the nerve endings of the shoulder;
as a result of infectious or viral diseases - syphilis, malaria, influenza, herpes, cytomegalovirus;
for scoliosis, congenital or acquired anomalies of the spine.

In some cases, the pathology is provoked by hyperabduction syndrome ─ the nerve bundle in the shoulder joint is pinched as a result of a sharp abduction of the shoulder to the side.

Classification

Brachial plexus plexitis can be of three types - lower, upper and total. With inferior plexitis, pain is mainly felt in the area of the elbow and forearm. Superior plexitis is accompanied by pain in the cervical vertebrae and collarbone. Total defeat includes all types of pathological sensations.

Depending on the reasons that provoked the appearance of plexitis, the classification identifies the following types of disease:

traumatic plexitis, which is caused by injuries of any kind;
infectious-allergic - this type of plexitis is caused by an abnormal reaction of the body to the administered vaccine;
infectious – is a consequence of an infectious process occurring in the body;
dysmetabolic – the result of abnormal metabolism;
toxic – the disease is the result of accumulation and poisoning of the body by toxins;
compression-ischemic - occurs as a result of compression of the nerve and circulatory disorders.

Symptoms

The disease goes through two stages in its development, each of which has a specific set of symptoms. At the first, neurological stage, patients experience plexalgia - pain in the nerve plexus. It first appears in the center of the nerve bundle itself, and then spreads to the periphery. Pain typically appears in the hand, after which the patient is unable to work normally with it.

Based on characteristic complaints, the doctor can easily determine the pathology

If you press on the shoulder or try to massage it, the pain intensifies even more. Symptoms also appear in the morning if a person sleeps uncomfortably on the affected side. The pain is shooting and boring in nature; when it subsides, aching discomfort remains, as with arthrosis. The lower part of the limb undergoes paresthesia, the pulse at the wrist weakens, and characteristic changes appear on the nails.

The second stage of plexitis is called paralytic. It develops after the nerve trunks are completely damaged and lose their ability to conduct signals. As a result of loss of functionality, the pain is felt much more intensely - some patients cannot even write or put their hand behind their back. In a number of patients, against the background of the paralytic stage, paresis or muscle paralysis develops - the cervical-brachial area goes numb. Muscle bundles do not receive signals to action from neurons, so active muscle contraction does not occur, fiber tone is lost and hypotrophy develops. After some time, muscle reflexes are lost.

When normal communication between nerves and tissues is lost, the natural result is poor circulation. The skin in the collarbone and shoulder area becomes pale due to a lack of blood supply. Symptoms from the blood vessels, as a rule, develop already in the last stage of the disease.

REFERENCE! Violation of tissue trophism is accompanied by mild cyanosis and a characteristic shiny appearance of the skin, which thins and becomes drier.

Among the most common symptoms of plexitis, patients note the following:

acute pain in the area of nerve plexus damage;
increased pain in the limb during physical activity;
feeling of coldness, numbness;
with increased physical activity, soft tissue swelling appears;
muscles become weak and sluggish;
sensitivity in the limb is significantly reduced;
the skin turns pale;
sweating increases, which is especially noticeable in the palms.

If you do not ignore the symptoms of plexitis of the shoulder joint and contact the clinic in a timely manner, then there is a high chance of relieving pain and preventing further progression of the disease.

Diagnostics

The doctor can make a preliminary diagnosis of brachial plexus plexopathy based on the patient’s complaints. Complaints with plexitis are quite characteristic, they are difficult to confuse with other diseases. Differentiation is carried out with polyneuropathy, glenohumeral periarthritis. However, for clarification, other diagnostic methods are also used to specify the damage in the scapulohumeral zone.

First of all, the doctor will help with x-rays and magnetic resonance imaging. X-rays are mandatory and provide informative imaging, especially in cases of traumatic injury such as a shoulder dislocation or fracture. If necessary, the following is also carried out:

electroneurography,
electromyography,
computed tomography,
ultrasound examination.

Treatment

Productive therapy for plexitis is possible only at an early stage of the disease, when the nerve endings are not yet completely affected and the nerve bundle retains its functionality. If the patient comes at a late stage, then no way, even medication, can restore the functioning of the nerve endings.

Drug treatment

To treat the disease, doctors prescribe vitamin supplements to patients to help restore muscle tone. First of all, patients are prescribed B vitamins. They improve blood circulation and activate trophism in the periphery, due to which the nerve endings are better supplied with blood.

An effective drug for treatment is Neurobion

Preparations with vitamin B include Neurobion, B-complex, Combilipen, Magne B6 and other drugs. You can also purchase vitamin B as part of medicinal multivitamin complexes Undevit, Complivit, Neurovitan, etc. In order to improve tissue nutrition, patients take Nerobol, Lidaza, potassium orotate, nicotinic acid.

For the purpose of anti-inflammatory action, antibacterial drugs are recommended, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs based on nimesulide, ketoprofen and diclofenac will help relieve pain. Among the painkillers recommended are Oxadol, Analgin, Aspizol, novocaine blockades. Mandatory medications are medications to activate blood circulation in the peripheral zone, for example, the drugs Trental or Complamin. In order to improve the transmission of nerve impulses to muscle bundles, doctors prescribe the drugs Invalin, Kalimin, Proserin.

If brachial plexitis is caused by a hematoma or tumor, then drug treatment will not be effective. In this case, patients undergo surgery to eliminate the cause of compression of the nerve endings. If the nerve is released and its integrity is not compromised, then the functionality of the limb is restored.

Physiotherapy

Doctors actively use physiotherapeutic techniques to treat the disease. They help patients eliminate the main manifestations of plexitis - pain in the shoulder and arm, as well as improve the condition of the nerve endings. The following types of physiotherapy are recommended for patients:

Such therapy can be carried out either in a hospital or taken to a sanatorium that specializes in the treatment of diseases of this profile.

Gymnastics

For plexitis of the shoulder joint, the Popov complex will be useful, which is also performed for glenohumeral periarthritis. The complex includes more than two dozen different elements that help develop the shoulder and activate metabolic and recovery processes in the upper limb. A set of exercises to restore the functionality of a limb consists of the following movements:

in a sitting position with straightened shoulders, it is necessary to bring and spread the shoulder blades. To develop, 10–15 movements are performed;
in the same position, the shoulders need to be raised and lowered;
it is necessary to make circular movements with the shoulder with the arms bent at the elbow, the exercise is performed 10 times;
in a standing position, you need to bend 10–15 times in different directions, trying to stretch while bending your shoulder forward;
in the same position, bend the arms at the elbows and tilt the body forward, trying to simultaneously reach with two elbows to an imaginary plane;
with straight arms extended forward, you need to turn your palms inward and in the opposite direction, the exercise is performed 20 times.

ADVICE! All gymnastic exercises for the upper shoulder girdle are carried out both in the clinic under the supervision of a physical therapy doctor, and independently at home, but in agreement with the doctor.

Traditional treatment

Treatment with folk remedies is possible only in combination with drug therapy. Non-traditional methods do not have the ability to influence the cause of the disease; it is only an additional method of therapy, but it relieves painful painful symptoms well. Populists recommend using the following means:

mix a quarter glass of Vaseline with a small amount of crushed sweet clover and hops, then lubricate the shoulder with the resulting ointment three to four times a day;
crushed aloe leaves, horseradish root and Adam's root are poured with half a glass of honey, mixed and rubbed into the sore shoulder three times a day;
Angelica root is great for tincture - a tablespoon of the dry ingredient is poured with a glass of boiling water and left for two hours. Can be applied as a compress or used as a rub;
Pork fat with propolis is an effective medicine for the treatment of brachial plexitis. For 50 g of fat, take 3 g of propolis. All ingredients are mixed and then rubbed into the shoulder bones;
Turpentine works well with eggs - beat two egg whites into a foam. Then add 30 ml of turpentine and ammonia, mix and rub this mass into the shoulder;
crushed willow bark must be poured with boiling water and left for two hours, then made into a compress with insulation on the shoulder;
For rubbing, you can also use mumiyo in alcohol.

Baths with medicinal herbs - mint, chamomile, oregano, currant leaves and oak bark - will be beneficial. Infusions are made from these plants at the rate of one liter of infusion per 10 liters of water. You need to take a bath at body temperature or 2-3 degrees higher, the procedure time is 15 minutes, the frequency is two to three times a week.

Prevention of plexitis of the shoulder joint is of great importance. To do this, it is useful to engage in physical exercise and strengthen the body. When pathologies such as spondylosis or sciatica appear, it is necessary to treat them in a timely manner so that they do not become provocateurs of plexitis.

The most important thing

Brachial plexopathy is a pathology of the nerve plexuses of the shoulder that affects people of working age. The main symptom of the disease is severe pain in the arm and collarbone. If signs of the disease appear, immediate consultation with a neurologist is necessary, because if left untreated, the disease can lead to disability. If both hands are affected, the person becomes completely dependent on others.