Burners and Stingers

Introduction

Explore effective burners and stingers treatment in Thane at The Spine Clinic, guided by the expertise of Dr. Priyank Patel . Burners and stingers, often experienced in contact sports, result from the compression or stretching of nerves in the neck and shoulder. These injuries, causing electric shock-like sensations, arm numbness, and weakness, find resolution as athletes are temporarily withdrawn from sports. When symptoms persist, skilled therapists aid in restoring strength and motion. For recurrent cases, specialized accessories like “spider pads” or “cowboy collars” might be recommended. Trust in Dr. Priyank Patel and The Spine Clinic for comprehensive care and tailored solutions.

What are burners and stingers?

Burners and stingers are injuries that occur when nerves in the neck and shoulder are stretched or compressed after an impact. These injuries are common in contact or collision sports, and are named for the stinging or burning pain that spreads from the shoulder to the hand. A burner or stinger can feel like an electric shock or lightning bolt down the arm.In most cases, burners and stingers are temporary and symptoms quickly go away.

Causes of burners and stingers

Nerves are like electrical cables that travel through the spinal canal carrying messages between your brain and muscles. The nerves that provide feeling and movement to the arm branch out of the spinal canal at the neck. They join together to form a larger bundle, or cord, of nerves. This cord is called the brachial plexus. All of the nerve supply to the arm runs through this plexus.

Burners and stingers are injuries to the brachial plexus — a network of intertwined nerves that control movement and sensation in the shoulder, arm, and hand.

An injury to the brachial plexus can cause a burner or stinger. This often happens when the head is forcefully pushed sideways and down. This bends the neck and pinches the surrounding nerves.

Many brachial plexus injuries occur when the arm is pulled downward and the head is pushed to the opposite side.

Symptoms of burners and stingers

Burner and stinger symptoms typically occur in one arm only. They usually last seconds to minutes, but in some cases they can last hours, days, or even longer. The most common symptoms of a burner or stinger include:
• A burning or electric shock sensation
• Arm numbness and weakness immediately following the injury
• A warm sensation

How are burners and stingers diagnosed?

In order to determine whether your injury is a burner or stinger, your doctor will discuss your symptoms and how the injury occurred. Imaging tests, such as x-rays, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, and nerve studies are not usually needed.
A more extensive examination is needed if you have any of the following symptoms:
• Weakness lasting more than several days
• Neck pain
• Symptoms in both arms
• History of recurrent stingers/burners

Treatment of burners and stingers

Treatment begins by removing the athlete from further injury. Athletes are not allowed to return to sports activity until their symptoms are completely gone. This can take a few minutes or several days. Athletes should never be allowed to return to sports if they have weakness or neck pain.

Although the injury gets better with time, if your symptoms last for several days you may need to work with a trainer or therapist to regain strength and motion.

If you have had recurrent stingers, your doctor may recommend a special neck roll or elevated shoulder pads to wear during sports activities.

Examples of special shoulder pads include “spider pads” worn under the shoulder pads or a “cowboy collar” worn on top of shoulder pads.

Conclusion

In Thane, The Spine Clinic , led by the esteemed Dr. Priyank Patel, offers expert care for burners and stingers, common injuries in contact sports that affect nerves in the neck and shoulder. Dr. Patel, a renowned spine specialist and the best spine surgeon in Thane , ensures tailored solutions for athletes. The clinic prioritizes comprehensive treatment, from initial withdrawal from sports to skilled therapy for strength restoration. Recurrent cases benefit from specialized accessories like “spider pads” or “cowboy collars.” If you are searching for burners and stingers specialist doctors in Thane look no further Dr. Priyank Patel and The Spine Clinic for optimal management and guaranteeing effective recovery and personalized attention.