Within the human body, the brachial plexus is a complicated web of nerves that pass messages back and forth between the spinal column and the hand, arm and shoulder. Damage to the brachial plexus due to injury can cause a number of symptoms, which may require physical or occupational therapy to resolve. Speak with your doctor if you develop symptoms of a brachial plexus injury.
Pain
If you sustain an injury to your brachial plexus, one of the first symptoms you can experience is pain. Painful symptoms can be characterized as burning, sharp or achy and typically extend from the shoulder down the entire length of the arm, warn doctors at The Mayo Clinic. Such painful symptoms can become worse over time if this injury is left untreated.
Numbness
Damage to your nerves can interfere with your body's ability to communicate with the brain and spinal column. If you injure your brachial plexus, your nerves can lose the ability to transmit signals to the shoulder, hand or arm of the affected side of the body. Decreased nerve signaling to these regions of the body can cause you to experience sensations of tingling, prickling or numbness within the affected arm. Such symptoms can contribute to difficulties with muscle and motor control in certain people.
Weakness
Inhibition of nerve signaling caused by an injury to the brachial plexus can prevent your muscles from functioning normally. The affected arm can feel weak or may become unresponsive when you attempt to move it normally. If this occurs, it can become increasingly difficult for you to move or control the affected arm.
Paralysis
Depending upon the severity of the nerve damage sustained during a brachial plexus injury, you can develop paralysis in the affected arm, explain health professionals at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, a division of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Paralysis completely inhibits your ability to voluntarily control the muscles of the arm. Paralysis caused by brachial plexus injury can be temporary or---if the nerves are completely severed during injury---permanent. Such symptoms can significantly interfere with your ability to perform normal tasks, such as picking up a bag of groceries or signing a receipt.
