United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Do things feel differently on your injured arm? For example if I scratch my tight arm, the sensation is more intense, a colder, sharper pain than my unaffected arm. Also, when my fingers touch something soft it's not as soft, its almost as though the very fine sensations are gone and the feelings in the skin are more intense but less refined. I hope I explained this well enough. Any thoughts?
Carrie

yeah, i know exactly what you mean...i cant stand for anyone else to touch my "bad" arm from the elbow up to the shoulder.its a really hard sensation to explain..somewhere between tickly and painful.
the hospital staff keep telling me that i must massage my op. scar regularly or "youll never bear to be touched there for the rest of your days" lol....ive avoided anyone touching it for 29 years so im sure ill manage for the next 29 too!!!
take care,
janny

yes you are right Carrie...
Janny if someone tapped me on the shoulder or a tap on the right back they might get a slam... I hate it

I am super sensitive to cold on the bpi side!!!!!

Is is like the sensor system is dull but cold super!!!

I have burned my self in the shower when I test the water with the right hand and also my poor baby's had their bottles too hot and sometimes the bath because I did not realize that I could not feel hot as well on the right arm hand etc... I had to taste the bottle befoe I gave it to them and never caught wise that it was the lack of feeling in my arm...
Kath

Hi! I am 51 years obpi and YES...sensations in my obpi arm are different. Hot and cold water do take a few more moments to register...and I have felt the "pain" of being burnt and of holding something "icy" before the feeling of TOO hot or TOO cold.
Carrie,that's a terrific way of describing touching something soft....a feeling that is similar but more "intense" in the obpi hand.
Funny how some sensations are dulled while others feel more intense.Must be the way the damaged nerves signals get interpreted by the brain! I have actually cut myself with a knife and not known it until I looked down and saw blood. I'm sure others have had this lovely experience, right?

Take Care all and keep your arms warm this winter!
-Stephanie

Hi all,
My daughter is 10 months old and we are becoming aware that her sensation is decreased in some places and seems to annoy her in others (she bites her thumb). I would appreciate any advice to help her throughout her life. Thanks!

Hey Carrie,

I kind of go from one extreme to another. There are times I can't feel anything or it is delayed. Then there are other times that the water from a shower feels like pins hitting my skin! I hate that cause I love taking a shower! I don't have the hypersensativity like I use to, only several times a year. I did the same thing Lyn refers to with the different fabrics. It does help in the long run.

Hi,

My daughter is 4 years old with rbpi. We were also encouraged to use many textures when she was younger. Until recently I felt that her sensation was unaffected.

But about 6 weeks ago I found her sucking on her arm. As I had previously read (on this web site, 3-4 years ago) about children with erbs palsy doing this because of sensory loss, I started to investigate.

I asked her if she could feel it and she said not very much. I got her to compare it against her other arm.

Two days ago her O/T did a test to dertermine level of sensory loss. It is a test using Semmes-Weinstein Monofilaments. These are different thicknesses of what looks like fishing line. The therapist would touch her arm with them in various locations. My daughter wasn't allowed to watch but had to tell the O/T as soon as she felt it and point to where she felt it.

Her palm and fingers are within normal range. The back of her forearm and thumb have diminished light touch (only slightly affected). And the underside of her forearm is more affected with diminished protective sensation - it takes her longer to detect the sensation and the location is only accurate to within about 1 inch (2.5 cm). There are three other levels of more severe loss that can also be detected.

It is a simple test and I encourage anyone to request it if in doubt. I also want to thank those parents who shared their experiences regarding sucking or biting the arm a few years ago - this is how I knew the warning signs.

Thanks,
Kelly.

I have absolutely NO feeling from the elbow down on my OBPI arm, and then diminished feeling up to the shoulder. I once burned my hand on the stove without even knowing it, and broke my thumb, too!

WoW
Carolyn No feeling at all?


I have assorted spots with no feeling -- strange
now the outside of my hand is loosing feeling....

I did not even realize I had no feeling on parts of my arm until a doctor just recently probed my arm and noted it... Now I understand all the really bad sunburns with out pain and without noting my arm was burning... I also have some spots on my face with diminished feelings....

I guess you are never to old to discover new things about this injury.

Kath