Brachial neuritis: symptoms and treatment of inflammation with folk remedies, how to treat shoulder neuralgia

Intense pain goes away within a few days. This is followed by slight numbness and weakness in the arm and/or shoulder, which may take many months before significant recovery occurs and the numbness goes away.

When brachial nerve pain begins, it is usually characterized by the following:

Sudden onset (usually not associated with trauma)
Starts in the shoulder and/or forearm
Piercing, sharp and/or radiating down the arm (not a dull ache or throbbing)
Only on one side of the body

Although the initial pain of brachial neuritis may be intense and unrelenting, it resolves within a few days. The period of intense pain is usually accompanied by numbness and/or weakness in the arm that lasts much longer than the initial pain.

Causes of the disease

A pinched nerve in the shoulder joint is very similar to the symptoms of an inflamed nerve, but these diseases are completely different in etiology and treatment. In some cases, if treatment is ignored or is ineffective, pinching can develop into inflammation. To avoid negative consequences and prevent complications, you need to seek qualified help from a specialist - a neurologist.

Infringement in its etiology is the result of compression of nerve bundles by bone and adjacent muscle tissue. In the process of squeezing, the bundles begin to become inflamed and swelling forms. This pathology has many different causes and occurs in the following cases:

diseases of the central nervous system;
serious physical activity, heavy lifting, heavy athletic training;
injuries, bruises of the shoulder with varying degrees of damage;
complications after surgery or injection in the shoulder area or forearm;
sleeping in an uncomfortable position;
passive lifestyle;
tumor neoplasms, oncology;
chronic lead intoxication, etc.

Clinical manifestations

In most cases, it is difficult to raise your hand up or move it to the side.
Factors that trigger the pathological process are:

strenuous physical activity;
trauma - severe bruise, sprain, dislocation;
severe intoxication - poisoning or alcoholism;
a sharp decrease in immunity, for example, due to acute respiratory viral infections or severe stress;
systemic health disorders due to endocrine disorders - diabetes, thyroid disease, pituitary gland;
pathologies of the vascular system.

In most cases, the working hand is affected - the right, and the left in left-handed people. The nature of neuralgia depends on which roots of the nerve segments are pinched. There may be sudden paroxysmal burning or piercing pains, radiating to the back, side, chest, periodically increasing and temporarily disappearing, or constant painful aching sensations with almost no light intervals. With deep localization of the lesion, the symptoms can be so alarming that they suggest a developing heart attack or gastric ulcer.

Often the pain is accompanied by local tissue swelling, increased sweating, stiffness in the shoulder area, impaired mobility, involuntary twitching or tremors. It is difficult to raise your arm up or move it to the side. The skin on the affected area turns red. Any, even the lightest touch to a sore spot causes severe discomfort.

During periods of calm attacks, paresthesia is possible - a feeling of crawling, trembling, tingling, slight numbness, weakness in the affected arm and other neuralgic symptoms.

There is sharp pain when pressing with a finger in the armpit or on the border of the biceps and triceps in the middle of the shoulder - at the so-called Valle points.

There are primary and secondary neuralgia of the shoulder joint. In the first case, the pathology is limited to pain, local inflammation, may be accompanied by fever, increased temperature, is not complicated by edema and is quite easily reversible, its cause is often simple hypothermia. In itself, this condition causes more physical pain than serious health hazard.

Secondary brachial plexus neuralgia is a symptom of other, more serious disorders in the body, for example, osteochondrosis, and cannot be completely cured without treating the underlying disease.

Symptoms of a pinched nerve

Most often, in the process of pinching the brachial nerve, which requires immediate treatment, the radial nerve is affected. This is one of the few nerve trunks of the central nervous system that has both a sensitive and motor part. Depending on the part of the lesion, the following clinical signs may appear:

difficulty in spreading the forearms and straight fingers of folded palms;
complete or partial numbness of the fingers after sleeping or “lying down” in one position;
after waking up, inability to move the hand, difficulty moving the joints;
difficulty in straightening the wrist joint, inability to hold the hand in a hanging position;
periodic cutting and stabbing sensations, constant aching pain in the muscles, which intensifies when the hand and forearm are extended. The sensations may dull and intensify, accompanied by pale skin, increased sweating, and a feeling of heat;
difficulty in bringing the thumb together with the index finger and the inability to abduct the thumb;
changes in muscle tone, involuntary twitching;
decreased sensitivity of the skin in the forearm, shoulder and some fingers.

Brachial plexus of nerves and inflammation

Brachial Plexus Nerves
The brachial plexus is a complex network of nerves that primarily emerge from the lower part of the neck and pass through the shoulder before traveling down the arm.

The roots of the C5, C6, C7, C8 and T1 nerves branch from the spinal cord and enter the brachial plexus. C5 eventually unites with C6 to form the superior trunk plexus, C7 continues as the middle trunk, and C8 and T1 unite to form the inferior trunk.

These three trunks continue to divide into more nerves, which again become connected (into cords) before branching out in different directions.

Diagnostic studies of the disease

A pinched brachial nerve requires immediate attention to a medical facility. Diagnosing the disease does not seem difficult. The attending physician must first study the patient's chart, analyzing chronic diseases, recent injuries to the forearm area, allergic reactions, etc. Interview the patient about complaints, their nature and duration. Based on these data, identify the nature of the pathology.

A prerequisite for successful diagnosis is a neurological examination, which reveals changes in the sensitivity of the fingers and hands, and pathologies of tendon reflexes.

If there is any doubt about the diagnosis, the patient is sent for additional hardware examination: MRI and CT, x-ray. These techniques will help confirm the preliminary diagnosis and find the cause of the disease.

Symptoms

The symptoms of the disease are determined by the functions of the nerve and the severity of its damage.

Reference. The structure of many nerves is represented by various fibers: motor, sensory, autonomic.

Therefore, damage to each type of fiber has its own symptoms, which are characteristic of almost any type of this pathology:

Vegetative - swelling, blueness of the skin, dry skin, local hair loss, depigmentation.
Motor disorders - development of muscle atrophy, paralysis, paresis, deterioration or absence of tendon reflexes.
Sensory disturbances - numbness, paresthesia, deterioration of sensitivity.

Also, the symptoms of brachial plexus neuritis depend on the location of the inflammatory process. That is, depending on which part of the nerve plexus is affected:

upper -, sudden acute pain, decreased sensitivity of the forearm, decreased muscle tone, dysfunction of the elbow joint,
lower -, deterioration in muscle sensitivity of the lower arm, loss of tactile sensitivity of the skin on the inside of the hand, decreased muscle tone, Horner's syndrome,
total - has symptoms characteristic of damage to the upper and lower levels of the plexus.

However, with any type of damage, the first signs are severe pain and numbness.

Treatment methods

The basis of any type and method of treatment is to eliminate the root cause of the disease and relieve pain from the affected organ. To effectively achieve results, not one method, but a whole complex is used, regardless of the degree of damage or stage of the neuralgic disease.

Elimination of the pathological disease of pinched nerve in the shoulder joint, the symptoms and treatment of which are different, depends on quickly determining the cause of the pathology and excluding inflammation in the shoulder joint. The following methods are used for this:

Strong painkillers for severe and intense attacks of pain. This could be a novocaine blockade or an ointment - Apizartron.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the form of medicines: tablets, gels, injections. For example, Ibuprofen, Ketanov, Diclofenac.
Intravenous injections of vitamin B, which will help support a weakened immune system.
Antidepressants for severe psychological disorders developing against the background of the disease.

However, it is impossible to be treated with potent drugs for a long time, because they cause many adverse reactions and gradual addiction. Most often, drug therapy ends with the use of anti-inflammatory drugs and warming ointments that do not cause side effects.

What to do for a quick recovery? Combine medication with physiotherapeutic procedures.

Treatment at home

Medication treatment at home

Drug treatment of intercostal neuralgia, unfortunately, is aimed only at relieving symptoms and general support of the body, that is, the patient is prescribed a course of vitamins, with the main emphasis on B vitamins, painkillers and relaxants to relieve muscle spasms. Anti-inflammatory drugs are sometimes added to this list, but their effectiveness is increasingly being questioned. List of tablets used for pain relief:

Analgin;
Tempalgin;
Ketorolac;
Ortofen et al.

Ointments that are used to treat intercostal neuralgia:

Voltaren;
Ketonal cream;
Apizartron and others.

In addition, when treating at home, the patient is recommended to rest in bed for a period of one to three days with the maximum possible straightening of the spine, i.e., the body should be positioned horizontally on a sufficiently hard surface. To achieve this effect, you can use a kind of shield (any flat, solid object of suitable size) placed under the mattress.

After the pain has been relieved, a diagnosis must be carried out to determine the true cause of the disease. If it is determined that intercostal neuralgia is the consequences of one of the common diseases (colds, stress, infection, diabetes, etc.), then treatment of this particular disease begins.

If the problem lies in a disease of the spine, then in parallel with drug relief of pain in traditional medicine, various physiotherapeutic procedures are used: physical therapy and massage, acupuncture, laser therapy, manual therapy, ultrasound, and similar methods of relieving stress on nerve endings. For serious problems, a spinal traction procedure may be prescribed.

How to relieve pain at home

The very first step is to make sure that the pain is not caused by a heart disease. If it is impossible to get to a doctor, call an ambulance.

If you are sure that the pain is caused by intercostal neuralgia, then you need to warm the affected area - this will slightly reduce the muscle spasm. At home, using a heating pad, mustard plaster, anti-inflammatory ointments, pepper plaster, heated salt or sand will help. A warm bandage (scarf, shawl) is applied over the warming agents or a sweater is put on.

As with drug treatment, it is necessary to remain in bed for at least a short time. In combination with warming the affected area, rest will relieve spasm and reduce pain.

Physiotherapy

Treatment of pinching will not be effective without the inclusion of physiotherapeutic procedures in the complex of measures aimed at eliminating pain, relieving swelling and eliminating involuntary muscle contractions and spasms. You can pinch the nerve on the left, but it will radiate to the right joint, so the procedures must be used on both sides of the brachial plexuses equally. For pathology, the following procedures are indicated:

UHF;
activation of biological points and flows using acupuncture;
low current stimulation;
taking warm baths using medicinal herbs and decoctions;
mud wraps.

During the treatment period, the patient should not engage in manual physical activity of any complexity, and hypothermia should also be avoided. Only by following all the doctor’s recommendations can you achieve complete recovery.

The rehabilitation period must begin with physical therapy, but it must be performed under the guidance of an experienced health professional. Exercises will help restore muscles and strengthen joints.

When traditional treatment is contraindicated

In only one case is it not worth trying various, and certainly wise, folk remedies. This condition is called herpetic neuralgia. If you find blisters on the skin that resemble chickenpox, which appear along the intercostal space and cause unpleasant, burning pain, you should urgently consult a neurologist or infectious disease specialist.

These are symptoms of herpes zoster, or herpes zoster. In this case, you need to urgently take antiviral drugs and lubricate your back with ointment, which also has antiviral activity.

If you miss the deadline when you can destroy the viral infection, then you may develop long-term and painful postherpetic neuralgia, which is poorly treated even in developed countries and there is no alternative treatment for postherpetic neuralgia.

Therefore, despite the confidence that you can cope with neuralgia “with your own hands,” it is still better to visit a doctor to get his “blessing” to use folk remedies. This way, at least you will be sure that you are doing everything correctly.

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Alternative medicine, advice from traditional healers

There are several traditional medicine tips that will accompany a quick recovery. They are presented in the form of ointments, decoctions and compresses, which can be prepared independently at home:

tincture for rubbing. Lilac flowers, burdock root and hot pepper are used for preparation. All these ingredients are poured with alcohol and infused for 3 days, after which this tincture is rubbed on the sore spot before going to bed;
alcohol tincture of birch buds. For half a liter of alcohol, use a handful of birch buds. After a week you can use this tincture;
You can also prepare a decoction for oral administration. To do this you need to mix 10 grams. willow bark with a glass of water, boil this mixture and take 1 tablespoon 3 times a day after meals.

Recipes

Fighting pathology with folk remedies is a fairly effective method, which still needs to be used carefully and competently. Let's talk in more detail about the various methods that have already helped not a single “owner” of this disease

Hot bath

First, the patient must take a bath, and then rub the sore spot well with a self-prepared ointment. To prepare it, you need to take ammonia and unrefined vegetable oil.

Saline solution

To prepare it, take one tablespoon of salt and 250 ml of water. Then we take a cloth, soak it in the saline solution and apply it to the chest. The top must be insulated with something, for example, woolen fabric. It should be kept for several hours.

Medicinal mixture

A mixture of beeswax, liquid honey, onion juice and white lily bulb juice. All ingredients should be mixed and the resulting paste applied to the area of pain, and insulated on top. This compress can be maintained even all night.

Flax seed

The seeds should be brewed with boiling water and allowed to brew for a few minutes. Then they should be wrapped in gauze and applied to the chest.

Medicinal herbs effectively fight pain, inflammation, and also help improve local blood circulation

Wool shawl

This recipe is quite simple and involves wrapping the affected area and walking throughout the day. In this place, blood flow will increase, pain will decrease, and a warming effect will also be provided.

"Nuclear" compress

To prepare it, we need hot pepper, turmeric powder and ginger root. All ingredients need to be mixed well and a little water added to make a homogeneous paste. Then take a piece of cloth and spread this mixture on it. The resulting medicine should be applied to the chest area and wrapped with a bandage. You can walk until the burning sensation becomes unbearable. This is an effective remedy. Because it has a warming effect. Metabolism will be accelerated, toxic products will be eliminated, and blood flow will increase.

Medicinal tincture

We will need: aloe, celandine and red pepper. All ingredients need to be poured with vodka, and then left for a week in a dark place, then in a cold place. The tincture can be rubbed in several times a day until the symptoms disappear.

Calendula and meadowsweet

To prepare the tincture we will need calendula flowers and meadowsweet root. Fill the raw materials with vodka, and then place them in hot water for half an hour. After which you need to infuse it in a dark place for a couple of days. Rubbing the sore spot can be done several times a day.

Warming up with a boiled egg should be done carefully and carefully so as not to get burned.

Egg

First, hard boil a chicken egg and peel it. Then cut the egg into two halves and let it cool. Then we apply it to the chest area directly on the sore spot. You can also use the whole egg and roll it over the breastbone.

Mumiyo

There are two options for how to use mumiyo. Firstly, you can use an alcohol solution as a rub into the sore spot. You can also take the product internally. If it is unpleasant to eat mumiyo, you can mix it with honey or milk.

Lard

First you need to melt the lard in water and add the powdered lilac leaves and buds. When the resulting mass has cooled, it can be rubbed into the affected area.

Sauerkraut

The cabbage should be placed on oilcloth and applied to the intercostal space. Then you need to wrap it well and leave it for several hours.

Take a bath for no more than 20 minutes

Prevention of the disease

In order to reduce the risk of pinching nerve endings in the shoulder joint, you must follow simple life rules:

Control body weight, avoiding severe obesity. Excess weight creates additional stress on internal organs and leads to wear of the spinal discs and hernia. In such cases, a pinched nerve is a fairly common problem.
If you have a sedentary lifestyle, periodically do a little body warm-up.
Monitor the correct position of the spine and control your posture.
Do morning exercises, play sports, use small physical activities to stretch muscles and strengthen joints.
Do not carry a bag over one shoulder, distribute the load evenly.
For sleeping, choose only a high-quality orthopedic mattress.

The pinching will not go away on its own without medication. At the first manifestations of symptoms, you need to seek help from a doctor and follow all his instructions. If you only relieve the pain syndrome with painkillers, the problem will not be eliminated, but will only get worse. This can subsequently lead to muscle atrophy and inflammation of nerve tissue.

Treatment

If treatment is not done, complications are inevitable.

This can only be saved by timely contacting a specialist and prescribing a treatment regimen, which consists of the following stages:

Partial anesthesia;
Relief of inflammation;
Complete pain relief of the entire syndrome and its remnants;
Therapeutic measures aimed at the original source of the disease;
Procedures for recovery. These include massage, laser therapy, acupuncture; physiotherapy;
Alternative medicine is also acceptable. For example, mud baths or wraps (mud, paraffin), with the help of wormwood cigars you can warm up the place where the inflammatory process occurred;
Therapeutic gymnastic exercises;
is suitable as a preventive measure .