about radial nerve palsy??  My left arm is useless again and a stroke was ruled out and a dx of radial nerve palsy.  Still awaiting the whole 'tryandgetcare' (military 'free' health care tricare) to get the approvals for referrals to specialists and nerve conduction studies.

I've read up on it some, and if I were to hazard a guess, based on the first event happening while I was busy lifting  and moving multiple heavy and awkward items before our NE to NC move, I'v e simply compressed the nerve again with some kind of movement I wasn't supposed to do.

Any info on the subject wuld me MOST appreciated!

Cat

Looks like the term only describes the symptoms, but not the cause.  Wikipedia searches on that redirect to the "Wrist Drop" page.

I have gotten pain/numbness on the back of my hands after heavy lifting - myofascial self-help did the trick.  The lifting really pulled something just above the elbow, which was quite tender.   But there are other causes, no telling what the appropriate treatment is in your case.

No real answers, Cat, but a ton of sympathy..my Lord, woman....haven't you had enough by now??

Wish........SOOO wish I could help.........
damn........
Here's a big HUG......use it please.....
Cathi

It's also known as Saturday night palsy after people who come home after a few too many and go to sleep with their arm over the sofa,  compressing a particular nerve.

So who's been a naughty little stop-out then?

START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE

So sorry Cat to hear its happening to you !

Is there any pain ? numbness and tingling ? or just the weakness ?

If a stroke has been ruled out then the most common cause ( when there has not been an acute injury like a broken bone ) is entrapment ( the nerve being compressed somewhere along its course ).

Have you had a nerve conduction study ?

Cat,

My question would be, is if you can feel anything in the arm, or is it just too damn painful to move?

After my car accident, (and delay of treatment for the whiplash) I started with periodic spasms that would have me dropping pots and pans, glasses of water or a soda or what not.

I had the full nerve conduction study done with the teflon needles (almost like acupuncture with wires attached)

This was the Mid 80's however, and I'm sure methods have improved since then.  They found nothing, (but then again it wasn't at the moment when the shit was happening either)

A few months later, I lost the ability to move the arm.  I could feel everything, but it was as if the pain was blocking my ability to move the arm in addition to whatever else was going on.

I was in a very rural area at the time working as a farm hand in the calf barn of a dairy farm ( mixing milk replacement feed and making sure they were thriving) and cook to the other milkers and hands there.  I went to the local Chiropractor and within a week I started to move the arm more, and in a month I could make a full circle with it.  Yes there was discomfort still but it MOVED!

I learned that there was a nerve in my neck that was being pinched badly and was blocking some of the signals from the brain for movement, but I could still feel all the pain.  

I don't towt Chiros for much of much...but whatever this guy found and corrected, got me moving again.

All I can remember about this fellow that is different from other chiros ive seen and stopped going to, is that he had this cone type contraption that he would "scan" me with and it had thisplace he would rub his fingers on.  Whe the thing squeeled, it directed him to  where he needed to attend to. No I don't know whart the thing was or why it could pick up each place I hut like hell.  it just did....kinda freaky actually.

I have no idea what it was or why it worked, and I won't pretned to know...but I was so much better for his work than I was when I started.  Start to finish I was there for 4 weeks and I had full movement back.  Started at 2x a day and then taperd to 1x a week.  i call that great progress.

To try to give some more specifics - Brian, indeed - I fell asleep at the computer hehe - Clark found me with my arm in an awkward position.

This is where it got tricky - I was getting hit and on O2 in the ER when they did the manipulation of the arm - about all I could tell them was "yup that felt funny" - pain wasn't registering.

The left thumb is completely numb - the ER doc gave me hell for drawing blood when I tried to prove the point to him.

If I lift anything at all, the entire hand curls into what I call a palsy position.  It's made life rather frustrating.

The nerve conduction study is out until tricare approves the referral - at which time I have no doubt the hand will be perfectly fine *sigh* - free healthcare for ya - they make ya wait a few months before seeing a doc then usually whatever was troubling you is either gone or corrected or you've given up waiting on them hehe.

Cathi - thanks for the "had enough" - you've noooooo idea.  

I'm planning a foray to Wiley mountain today (my 16 y/o cat is named Wiley).  Haven't decided if it's worth jumping off :P

Ah well, at least I can use the index finger of left hand in a rather bizarre looking shape so that I can at least type.

Here's hoping it corrects itself!

Thanks everyone :)

Cat

This is probably only somewhat relevant...

I have compressed discs at C4-5 and C6-7, and it can cause unbelievable pain.  I've been told that it is the radial nerve feeling the pain, down to the thumb and firsIt finger of my left hand.  I've had the EMG and all it showed for sure is that I have carpel tunnel in that hand, but no problems with that at this time!

The thumb and half of the index finger is supplied by C6 nerve from the cervical ( neck ) spine.

It sounds like you have a compression problem Cat. If the thumb is completely numb and the other fingers weak I would guess the compression is from the neck.

If you cant get a nerve conduction study straight away can you at least get a neck scan ? An xrays and a CT scan ? Those are cheaper than nerve conduction study. These may show impingement of the nerve there. I am surprised they did not do that in ER.

The other likely site of impingement is the shoulder. Did you have any existing shoulder problem ?

If impingement is anywhere away from the neck, the nerve usually recovers with time by itself. But if the impingement is at the neck level, and caused by a slipped disc or similar, you will need treatment.

Right now the doc thinks it may be the shoulder - any scans require pre approval because we are in what is called a geographically separated unit - aka - no tricare providers.  No one up here accepts my insurance so it makes for a long drawn out ordeal.

The ER was more concerned with my head and elected to use dilaudid to 'remedy' my situation - 3mg later and it was kinda hard to tell if my hand hurt hehe.

I'm scheduled to see the neuro surgeon the 14th, and they've sent a note so he'll look at the arm as well.  This particular clinic has a variety of docs so one of them there should be able to deal with it - I hope...

Thanks so much everyone.  Will keep you posted.  And if I'm lucky they'll cut out my glow in the dark spot in my head too :)

Cat