           Types of nerve damage       Open pop-up dialog box          Close    Types of nerve damage   Types of nerve damage A cross section of spine (on left) shows how nerve roots are connected to the spinal cord. The most severe type of nerve injury is an avulsion (A), where the nerve roots are torn away from the spinal cord. Less severe injuries involve a stretching (B) of the nerve fibers or a rupture (C), where the nerve is torn into two pieces.               Types of nerve damage       Open pop-up dialog box           Types of nerve damage       Open pop-up dialog box  Open pop-up dialog box       Close    Types of nerve damage   Types of nerve damage A cross section of spine (on left) shows how nerve roots are connected to the spinal cord. The most severe type of nerve injury is an avulsion (A), where the nerve roots are torn away from the spinal cord. Less severe injuries involve a stretching (B) of the nerve fibers or a rupture (C), where the nerve is torn into two pieces.          Close    Types of nerve damage   Types of nerve damage A cross section of spine (on left) shows how nerve roots are connected to the spinal cord. The most severe type of nerve injury is an avulsion (A), where the nerve roots are torn away from the spinal cord. Less severe injuries involve a stretching (B) of the nerve fibers or a rupture (C), where the nerve is torn into two pieces.        Close    Types of nerve damage   Types of nerve damage A cross section of spine (on left) shows how nerve roots are connected to the spinal cord. The most severe type of nerve injury is an avulsion (A), where the nerve roots are torn away from the spinal cord. Less severe injuries involve a stretching (B) of the nerve fibers or a rupture (C), where the nerve is torn into two pieces.     Close    Close  Close Types of nerve damage   Types of nerve damage A cross section of spine (on left) shows how nerve roots are connected to the spinal cord. The most severe type of nerve injury is an avulsion (A), where the nerve roots are torn away from the spinal cord. Less severe injuries involve a stretching (B) of the nerve fibers or a rupture (C), where the nerve is torn into two pieces.  Types of nerve damage A cross section of spine (on left) shows how nerve roots are connected to the spinal cord. The most severe type of nerve injury is an avulsion (A), where the nerve roots are torn away from the spinal cord. Less severe injuries involve a stretching (B) of the nerve fibers or a rupture (C), where the nerve is torn into two pieces. A cross section of spine (on left) shows how nerve roots are connected to the spinal cord. The most severe type of nerve injury is an avulsion (A), where the nerve roots are torn away from the spinal cord. Less severe injuries involve a stretching (B) of the nerve fibers or a rupture (C), where the nerve is torn into two pieces. Signs and symptoms of a brachial plexus injury can vary greatly, depending on the severity and location of the injury. Usually only one arm is affected. Less-severe injuries Minor damage often occurs during contact sports, such as football or wrestling, when the brachial plexus nerves get stretched or compressed. These are called stingers or burners, and can produce the following symptoms:  A feeling like an electric shock or a burning sensation shooting down the arm Numbness and weakness in the arm  These symptoms usually last only a few seconds or minutes, but in some people the symptoms may linger for days or longer. More-severe injuries More-severe symptoms result from injuries that seriously hurt or even tear or rupture the nerves. The most serious brachial plexus injury occurs when the nerve root is torn from the spinal cord. Signs and symptoms of more-severe injuries can include:  Weakness or inability to use certain muscles in the hand, arm or shoulder Complete lack of movement and feeling in the arm, including the shoulder and hand Severe pain 
           types nerve damage       open pop-up dialog box          close    types nerve damage   types nerve damage cross section spine (on left) shows nerve roots connected spinal cord  severe type nerve injury avulsion (a)  nerve roots torn away spinal cord  severe injuries involve stretching (b) nerve fibers rupture (c)  nerve torn pieces                types nerve damage       open pop-up dialog box           types nerve damage       open pop-up dialog box  open pop-up dialog box       close    types nerve damage   types nerve damage cross section spine (on left) shows nerve roots connected spinal cord  severe type nerve injury avulsion (a)  nerve roots torn away spinal cord  severe injuries involve stretching (b) nerve fibers rupture (c)  nerve torn pieces           close    types nerve damage   types nerve damage cross section spine (on left) shows nerve roots connected spinal cord  severe type nerve injury avulsion (a)  nerve roots torn away spinal cord  severe injuries involve stretching (b) nerve fibers rupture (c)  nerve torn pieces         close    types nerve damage   types nerve damage cross section spine (on left) shows nerve roots connected spinal cord  severe type nerve injury avulsion (a)  nerve roots torn away spinal cord  severe injuries involve stretching (b) nerve fibers rupture (c)  nerve torn pieces      close    close  close types nerve damage   types nerve damage cross section spine (on left) shows nerve roots connected spinal cord  severe type nerve injury avulsion (a)  nerve roots torn away spinal cord  severe injuries involve stretching (b) nerve fibers rupture (c)  nerve torn pieces   types nerve damage cross section spine (on left) shows nerve roots connected spinal cord  severe type nerve injury avulsion (a)  nerve roots torn away spinal cord  severe injuries involve stretching (b) nerve fibers rupture (c)  nerve torn pieces  cross section spine (on left) shows nerve roots connected spinal cord  severe type nerve injury avulsion (a)  nerve roots torn away spinal cord  severe injuries involve stretching (b) nerve fibers rupture (c)  nerve torn pieces  signs symptoms brachial plexus injury can vary greatly  depending severity location injury  only arm affected  less-severe injuries minor damage occurs contact sports  football wrestling  brachial plexus nerves stretched compressed  called stingers burners  can produce following symptoms:  feeling like electric shock burning sensation shooting down arm numbness weakness arm  symptoms last only seconds minutes  people symptoms may linger days longer  more-severe injuries more-severe symptoms result injuries seriously hurt tear rupture nerves  brachial plexus injury occurs nerve root torn spinal cord  signs symptoms more-severe injuries can include:  weakness inability muscles hand  arm shoulder complete lack movement feeling arm  including shoulder hand severe pain 
brachial plexus injury