Radial Nerve Palsy
 

Last week I woke up with a "wrist drop" and a hand and fingers that could not function. I assumed I had experienced a stroke. I went to the ER and they thought it was quite possible. My MRI was fine, so they referred me to a Neurologist. He's perhaps the first doctor I have seen throughout the last few years that really examined me. He was surprised with the severity of my PN that my own doctor has never done ant testing. We are first doing a lot of blood tests to see if he can determine the cause of my PN and then move on to other testing. Has anyone here had Radial Nerve Palsy and what were your results with time and therapy? I'm being told if we can get it to come back to fully functional, it may take up to six months. It is rather annoying, but I'm thankful it was not a stroke and that it is my left hand rather than my right/dominant hand.

I woke up about 3 years ago with "wrist drop". I too thought it might be a stroke so I went to the ER. They were not sure what the problem was but a stroke was ruled out. I was admitted to the hospital and after tests ordered by neurologist, it was diagnosed as radial neuropathy. I was discharged from the hospital and they wanted me to do physical therapy. I was uninsured at the time so I went back to work and found that the more I used my wrist, the better it got. I have full use of it now but I have problems with my hand and arm tingling and having severe pins and needles. This only happens at night. I think the more you use it, the better it will get. When I was in the hospital, I was also diagnosed with PN.

So far I'm finding you are right. I have a little more use of my hand after two weeks. With the lack of replies, I wonder if this is rare and also if it is a complication of PN or just something anyone can get. The long recovery time of six months and possibly never regaining full use of it is scary. My PT starts in about a week. I sure hope it helps because trying to do everything with one hand is a pain in the butt!

Hi Folks

I woke up about 2 weeks ago with radial nerve palsy.

I also thought i had had a stroke of sorts initially but somehow managed to put that thought behind me.
It was a Sunday morning so I just relaxed and researched online as much as i could to try and understand what was presenting itself to me.

Its a shock considering there was no trauma as such.
I am 46yrs, 80kg, 6.2, pretty active, ride my dirtbike every other weekend, never overweight. I do have T2 diabeties though, which is a real challenge.
Had this conditions for about 12 years now, in the family as well (Mom).

Anyway, went to MD, referred to Neuro whom I got to see a week later and he just confirmed the radial nerve palsy.
I seem to have damaged this just above the elbow before it splits so have classic wrist drop. basically all extensor muscles in the forearm are on strike.

I still have full motion in the shoulder and elbow and good strenght in those movements when compared to my other good arm (right).
None of this helps as I am a lefty, so cant even write with a pen.

So neuro had a look, did not ask for EMG, and said just wait and come back in a month.

I have done a mini google anatomy course on the muscles in the forearm responsible for extension.
I try and move the wrist (extend) and can, but not past neutral sort of position and not with gravity acting against the hand.

Just today I have noticed a little 'flicker in the forearm muscles when i try and move it. Maybe brachiorradialus? dunno so many muscles there I am not qualified to tell.

I am holding onto some hope with that flicker though.
No thumbs up or confident finger extension possible.

I have a further appointment with the neuro in about 3 weeks.
I suspect that if there is not a tangible recovery by then he will ask for an emg.

I have read many stories online (dangerous) about recovery times varying from a month or 2 to years to never, but I am trying to remain positive.

Anyway, just thought i would share as I came across this topic while looking researching this condition.

It is the strangest thing, to stare at your limb or extension thereof, and will it to move, and it does nothing.
Whilst this is certainly traumatic to me, it is one hand and a wrist, and a lot of folks have a harsher deal than that, but I would welcome any advice or shared experience regarding this issue.

Thanks

Yea it is pretty frightening when your brain tells your hand to move but it does nothing. I had been having terrible foot pain in both feet for about a year before this and after my primary care physician had done a lot of routine tests he still had no idea what was wrong. So when I was in the ER, I was seen by a Neurologist and after I was admitted he performed nerve conductive tests on both legs, feet and my right arm. That's when he told me that I have both Peripheral Neuropathy affecting both feet and Radial Neuropathy in my right arm affecting my right hand.

I just used my right hand and arm as much as possible (physical therapy) for about 2 weeks after I got out of the hospital and eventually regained full control of my hand. I still have a LOT of tingling and pins/needles feeling in my arm at times (mostly at night) from my armpit all the way through my hand. It sounds strange but when I'm having this terrible pain from the tingling (at least a 9 on the pain scale), my hand is completely numb.

I also have Trigeminal Neuralgia (another nerve disorder) so it looks like my whole nervous system is going to hell.

Unfortunately, I guess I will have to live with these nervous system problems for the rest of my life since there are no cures as far as I know.

:mad::mad:

Hi, I'm new here. I know you guys wanna hear inspiring stories, but I have to ask. Is there anyone out there who had to live thru having permanent radial nerve mononeuropathy?

Well like my previous reply, I'm living with Radial Neuropathy in my right arm and hand if that's what you are asking. Not sure what you mean by mononeuropathy. My Neurologist just called it "Radial Neuropathy".

How long have you had it? I just recently got my news. Do you wear a splint everytime?

You said in your post that you got full control of your arms again? Did the wrist drop go away? Could u extend your hands? I'm just really want to know what to expect.

I've had it for about 5 years now. I'm am affected in my right arm and hand and it's from my elbow clear thru my fingers. The first year or so I had to wear a splint that went around my thumb and halfway up my forearm. Then above that I wore a support/band around the my upper forearm and the elbow. (the type that people wear when they have tendonitis/tennis elbow) I was still working at the time and that was the only way I could stay mostly pain free at work. I discovered all this on my own without a doctors suggestion. Seems like the support and compression they provided made my arm feel better. I usually didn't wear them at home unless I was having a lot of pain but I did wear both of them most nights. What I found is that it just takes time, a LOT of time to get better. I no longer wear anything but I do wake up some nights with pain and tingling from my elbow to the tips of my fingers. What I have found to relieve this is to sit in a chair (desk chair) and let my arm dangle straight down. Takes anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes for it to go away. Most of the time now I have no tingling or pain. Unfortunately I'm sure it's something I will have to live with for the rest of my life.

Both the splint and armband can be found at most pharmacies. If you are in the US, Wal-Mart carries both of them.

Example of the wrist splint....

https://www.walmart.com/search/?quer...wrist%20splint

Example of the band...

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Yosoo-Adj...Band/223238449

Let me know if there is something else you need to know and I hope you get better.

Ken

It took about 2 weeks to get full control back in my hand and fingers. Just try to use it as much as you can. Kinda like doing your own physical therapy. The more you use it, the quicker control will come back.

Radial Nerve Neuropathy
 

Thank you for the suggestions. I'm not from America, but I'll try looking it up online. Thank you again!

Icing appears to have worked for my Radial Nerve Palsy....
 

As appear's common, I too woke up with what I call "dead arm". Have had it happen many times before, simply from sleeping on it. Always kind of laughed about it, not thinking much of it as it always came back to life in a few minutes.

Three weeks ago, it happened again. Only this time, it didn't wake up. Like other's noted, my first thought was a possible stroke. I'm a 47 y.o. male. I don't drink. Basically healthy. Went to the emergency room and was diagnosed with Radial Nerve Palsy, aka: Wrist Drop, Saturday night palsy or Honeymoon palsy.

The doctor told me it could be a 5-12 month recovery. I had all the typical symptoms that you see in youtube videos. Couldn't lift my wrist or fingers. Could close my fingers. Doctor said to give it three weeks and see if I had any movement. Then they would determine a treatment plan. Being that I have to type 40 page reports for a living, this was terrifying, being that I couldn't type.

I've had major injuries in the past (unrelated) and have always beaten the odds on recovery time, simply due to my diligence to do so.

First night, placing my hand flat on a table, zero movement when trying to lift my wrist or any of my fingers.

I share the following on in hopes that it may help someone. I however am not a doctor, nor qualified in any manner what so ever to give medical advice. My nerve injury occurred in my upper forearm. I was still able to utilize my triceps. There was discomfort, apparently since it's connected to the same nerve that travels from your index finger / thumb up to your neck, but at least everything above the elbow still functioned.

I can only assume my injury was not as severe and that's why I've recovered so quickly, but figured I'd share, just in case. I don't believe it can hurt, but as I stated, I'm not at all qualified to give advice, so check with your doctor before doing anything.

I read up on everything I could find on the internet. Thought electro-shock therapy could be useful. I hadn't seen anything about icing your arm for this scenario, but that same night, decided to try it.

Up until this point, there was no pain, basically no feeling what so ever "dead arm". I could feel the skin on my arm, but was mostly numb around the web between the index finger and thumb.

I placed ice on my upper forearm for about 7 minutes, while using my right hand to lift my left hand up and down, then each finger individually during this period with my mind trying to tell my arm to move. After 7 minutes, I moved the ice to the lower forearm and upper hand area, covering the knuckles and web area of the index finger / thumb. Again, for seven minutes while massaging the upper forearm area and relaxing the hand/fingers.

Then repeated back to the upper forearm, again, lifting my hand with my right hand several times as well as each individual finger. Another 7 minutes, only this time, I began to experience a little bit of pain in my upper forearm, presumably the radial nerve or muscles around it. Again, moved the ice back to the lower forearm and hand area for another 7 minutes. Massaging the upper forearm again and feeling additional pain.

I thought "pain must be good, it's reacting". Still no movement, but at least I felt something.

After the last 7 minutes, my arm was certainly cold, no movement. But after about 15 minutes, with my hand/arm flat on the table, all of sudden, my index finger wiggled. Talk about getting excited over nothing!! But, it was the first movement I had seen all day.

I wore a wrist brace off and on. Continuously moving my wrist and fingers with my left hand. When resting, did so with my left hand on my leg to put it in the retracted position.

Morning of day two, I was able to get my index finger off the table, just barely. I repeated all of the above, completing the icing process three times in day two. The final time, the evening of day two, the middle finger wiggled.

Within 4 days, I was able to lift my wrist and fingers off the table. Still couldn't lift it to a level position with my arm. Almost each morning when I woke up, there was a notable improvement in motion.

When not icing and just doing every day life's chores, I kept my wrist in a brace and used that hand for anything that I possibly could.

Today is the three week anniversary of that scary morning and I can say I have 100% movement capability back in my wrist and fingers, only lacking in strength. I estimate the strength is at about 70-75%. I can no hold a glass of water and drink it pretty normally with my left hand. The only weakness that remains is lifting any weight upward with my wrist and in pinching my thumb against my index finger. But for the most part, I almost barely notice it now, except when I try to pick up something heavy.

Clearly by my writing this, I'm able to type again. I believe my constant effort in typing was good exercise as well. After the first week, I could type about one word, then my fingers would lose strength and not allow me to continue. Would also experience pain in the radial nerve area of the forearm. Similar to just working out and the pain you feel the next day. After about 11 days, I could type a sentence or two before the same condition occurred. 3 weeks later, no real problem typing. I feel the muscle pain in the forearm from using it, but I'm able to continue typing. Taking only a few seconds between paragraphs to give it a brief rest.

So again, I don't know if my case is different from others. I assume it is and was not as severely injured as many. But after seeing multiple videos of people saying 6-8 weeks or 5-12 months and they were still not fully recovered, I figured I'd at least share my experience, just in case it might be helpful. The doctor told me, check back in 3 weeks to see if I had ANY movement by then. At three weeks, I'm nearly back to normal function, so I couldn't be happier that my recovery was much faster than the worst possible diagnosis. Assuming that's based on my injury not being as severe, but just in case my method's contributed to a quicker recovery, I want to at least share it with others.

In conclusion, the icing, followed by rest seemed to yield immediate results. I think my attempts at typing and using my fingers like that also assisted. Along with attempting to use that hand for anything that I could while in a wrist brace.

I am still icing once or twice a day. Keep in mind, that even today, when I ice my arm then hand, I actually lose ability (range of motion) immediately following the icing, am not able to lift my hand and fingers to full range, but after about 15 minutes when my arm/hand warm back up, full range, at least to the point where I was before icing, is restored. In almost every case, slightly improved and notably improved after resting each night.

My Experience
 

Hi guys I just wanted to write out my experience dealing with Radial Nerve Palsy for people who somehow managed to get this neuropathy themselves. Hopefully I can give some hope to people who are going through this themselves :hug: .

During September last year I managed to break my humerus quite bad due to something as mundane as an arm wrestle :(... I ended up requiring ORIF implant (with 11 screws) to realign my twisted and fragmented bone. When my humerus initially broke however it damaged my radial nerve quite bad. At that point I mostly forgot about the broken bone (which would almost certainly heal) and cared much more about the nerve healing.

Before the surgeons had a chance to look at the nerve during the surgery I was told there was a 30% chance I might have wrist drop for life based on people with the same injury. Luckily the plastic surgeon said my nerve was only stretched (not divided) and expected a recovery.

I had complete wrist drop, everything past the triceps along that nerve was paralyzed and had to wear a splint. The top of my hand/thumb was full of pins and needles.

I was hoping I had 1st degree nerve injury (called Neuropraxia) but quickly realized this wasn't the case. Most of the axons in my nerve degenerated due to how much they were stretched (this is 2nd degree nerve damage called Axonotmesis). My nerves/axons had to regrow more than half a meter (to the end of the finger) for a full recovery both sensation wise and motor wise. Axon's grow really slow...

The first few months were the worse and thought I had managed to obtain a life long partial paralysis in one of my hands. I didn't know the severity of how badly injured the nerve was and was terrified that it could be scarred inside the nerve (leading into a variation of 3rd degree nerve injury) which would cause limited recovery. There was no exercises I could do, I was extremely depressed and lost many friends throughout the ordeal. All I could wait is hope for the nerve to grow back and re-innovate my muscles.

It took about 3 months until recovery started picking up. At 4 months I was just beginning to be able to type properly again. My finger extensors took the longest to start recovering. Even though I could type my hand was still very weak. I started doing radial nerve exercises the moment the nerves managed to find their way back. Constant reverse wrist curls and finger extensor exercises. Many people think you can over do this sort of compulsiveness exercising but in reality you don't really strain anything at all as the muscle isnt even properly activating.

After 6 months I had another surgery to take the plate out. While the surgeon was in there he noted my radial nerve was bent across the implant and took 2 hours to seperate. He said there was scar tissue all around the nerve but said he didn't look inside the nerve.

My 2nd surgery was a success and it felt like I regained some more strength due to the nerve being released from the implant.

At present (10 months later since fracture) I am mostly recovered. My finger extensors are still alittle weak and the top of my thumb still feels abit dull but I am still very happy with my recovery. I can still feel the young axons re-establishing connections with muscles even after 300 days since injury. I never take anything for granted anymore. Don't give up hope.

TL;DR: 2nd degree radial nerve injury, around ~75-85% recovered after 10 months.

Thanks for reading.