What Is Birth Brachial Plexus Injury?

Last updated: February 8, 2026Reviewed date: February 8, 2026Reading time: 4 min read
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The brachial plexus is a network of nerves that begins at the spinal cord in the neck and delivers messages from the brain to the shoulder, arm and hand. Birth brachial plexus injuries happen when this nerve network becomes damaged during birth. The injuries can...

For severe symptoms, danger signs, pregnancy, child illness, or sudden worsening, seek urgent medical care.

বাংলা রোগী নোট এখনো যোগ করা হয়নি। পোস্ট এডিটরে “RX Bangla Patient Mode” বক্স থেকে সহজ বাংলা সারাংশ যোগ করুন।

এই তথ্য শিক্ষা ও সচেতনতার জন্য। এটি ডাক্তারি পরীক্ষা, রোগ নির্ণয় বা প্রেসক্রিপশনের বিকল্প নয়।

Article Summary

The brachial plexus is a network of nerves that begins at the spinal cord in the neck and delivers messages from the brain to the shoulder, arm and hand. Birth brachial plexus injuries happen when this nerve network becomes damaged during birth. The injuries can cause problems with controlling movement and feeling sensations in the hand, wrist, elbow and shoulder. What Causes Birth Brachial Plexus...

Key Takeaways

  • This article explains What Causes Birth Brachial Plexus Injury? in simple medical language.
  • This article explains Birth Brachial Plexus Injury Symptoms and Effects in simple medical language.
  • This article explains Birth Brachial Plexus Injury Diagnosis and Treatment in simple medical language.
Educational health guideWritten for patient understanding and clinical awareness.
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Emergency safety firstUrgent warning signs are highlighted below.

Seek urgent medical care if you notice

These warning signs are general safety guidance. Local emergency numbers and clinical judgment should always come first.

  • Severe symptoms, breathing difficulty, fainting, confusion, or rapidly worsening illness.
  • New weakness, severe pain, high fever, or symptoms after a serious injury.
  • Any symptom that feels urgent, unusual, or unsafe for the patient.
1

Emergency now

Use emergency care for severe, sudden, rapidly worsening, or life-threatening symptoms.

2

See a doctor

Book a professional medical evaluation if symptoms persist, worsen, recur often, affect daily activities, or occur in a high-risk patient.

3

Learn safely

Use this article to understand possible causes, tests, treatment options, prevention, and questions to ask your clinician.

The brachial plexus is a network of nerves that begins at the spinal cord in the neck and delivers messages from the brain to the shoulder, arm and hand.

Birth brachial plexus injuries happen when this nerve network becomes damaged during birth. The injuries can cause problems with controlling movement and feeling sensations in the hand, wrist, elbow and shoulder.

What Causes Birth Brachial Plexus Injury?

Brachial plexus injuries happen whenever nerves get stretched or injured. Some of these injuries happen during the birth process. Most often the baby’s shoulders may become wedged within the birth canal, causing nerve injury to the brachial plexus as the baby is delivered.

Types of Nerve Injuries

In general, there are four types of nerve injuries. All can occur at the same time in the same infant in different parts of the plexus.

Neuropraxia

A stretch injury that “shocks” but doesn’t tear the nerve is the most common type. This type is called a neuropraxia. Normally, these injuries heal on their own, usually within three months.

Neuropraxia can happen in adults as well as infants. For example, when it happens to football players who are injured during play, it’s called a “burner” or “stinger.”

Neuroma

A stretch injury that damages some of the nerve fibers might result in scar tissue. The scar tissue might press on the remaining healthy nerve. This condition is called a neuroma. Some, but not total, recovery is usually possible.

Rupture

A stretch injury that tears the nerve apart (ruptures it) will not heal on its own. In this type of nerve injury, surgery will be necessary to re-attach the nerves.

Avulsion

An avulsion happens when the nerve is torn from the spinal cord. It is not possible to repair an avulsion from the spinal cord. This is the most severe type of nerve injury, and is not directly repairable.

Approximately two babies in every 1,000 experience brachial plexus injury at birth. Treatment for birth brachial plexus injury may be treated with physical or occupational therapy including splinting or stretching exercise.  In some children, treatment may include casting or surgery.

Difficult births, such as breech births or births involving a long labor, increase a baby’s risk of brachial plexus injury. Many babies with brachial plexus injuries are larger than average at birth. However, newborns of all sizes (including premature babies) can have brachial palsy as well.

Birth Brachial Plexus Injury Symptoms and Effects

Regardless of the type of nerve injury, the symptoms are the same (loss of feeling and partial or complete paralysis). The severity of the injury helps determine treatment options and recovery possibilities.

Brachial plexus injuries have different symptoms and effects, depending on the child’s age and the extent of the injury. A child who has a brachial plexus injury might:

  • Be able to move the shoulder or elbow, but have trouble moving the wrist and hand (Erb’s palsy).
  • Be able to move the hand, but have trouble moving the shoulder or elbow.
  • Not be able to move or feel either the arm or hand (global palsy).

Watch for these brachial plexus injury symptoms. By 3 months of age, children who have a brachial plexus injury might still be unable to:

  • Squeeze your fingers.
  • Bend their wrist.
  • Bend and straighten their elbow.
  • Raise their arm.

A brachial plexus injury that happens during or shortly after birth can result in lifelong problems, affecting the shoulder, elbow, arm, wrist and hand. Children who seem to have problems with movement should get tested by a specialist who can make a diagnosis and develop a full treatment plan.

Birth Brachial Plexus Injury Diagnosis and Treatment

Early identification and treatment of brachial plexus injuries is critical for reducing long-term effects and the need for surgery.

Babies who don’t use an arm for an extended time might need extensive surgery to correct bone and muscle alignment. If you suspect your baby has a brachial plexus injury, have them tested by a specialist during the first few months of their life, if possible.

As part of a full evaluation, Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare uses one or more of the following tests to help diagnose a brachial plexus injury and determine its extent and severity:

  • Electromyography with nerve conduction studies.
  • MRI of the brachial plexus.
  • CT scan or ultrasound of the shoulder joint.

Therapeutic treatment is most effective for babies diagnosed between 3 and 6 months of age. Many children will regain full use of their arm and hand through occupational therapy. If the condition doesn’t resolve with therapy alone, Gillette offers brachial plexus surgery. Combined with postsurgical therapy, the surgery can improve motor and sensory function. Our surgeons might implant nerve guides, perform nerve grafts or perform neurolysis to increase input to muscles.  Additionally, nerve transfer surgery may be recommended to bring an uninjured nerve to provide nerve supply in the area of nerve injury.

Our orthopedic surgeons might also need to correct secondary bone, joint and muscle deformities in children who:

  • Don’t regain motor function.
  • Have severe brachial plexus injuries.
  • Have injuries left untreated for too long?
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Prepare before seeing a doctor

A simple rural-patient checklist to help you explain symptoms clearly, ask better questions, and avoid unsafe self-treatment.

Safety note: This is not a prescription or diagnosis. For severe symptoms, pregnancy danger signs, children with serious illness, chest pain, breathing difficulty, stroke-like weakness, or major injury, seek urgent care.

Which doctor may help?

Start with a registered doctor or the nearest qualified health center.

What to tell the doctor

  • Write when the problem started and how it changed.
  • Bring old prescriptions, investigation reports, and current medicines.
  • Write allergies, pregnancy status, diabetes, kidney/liver disease, and major past illnesses.
  • Bring one family member if the patient is weak, elderly, confused, or a child.

Questions to ask

  • What is the most likely cause of my symptoms?
  • Which danger signs mean I should go to hospital quickly?
  • Which tests are necessary now, and which can wait?
  • How should I take medicines safely and what side effects should I watch for?
  • When should I come for follow-up?

Tests to discuss

  • Vital signs: temperature, pulse, blood pressure, oxygen saturation
  • Basic physical examination by a clinician
  • CBC, urine test, blood sugar, or imaging only when clinically needed

Avoid these mistakes

  • Do not use antibiotics, steroid tablets/injections, or strong painkillers without proper medical advice.
  • Do not hide pregnancy, kidney disease, ulcer, allergy, or blood thinner use.
  • Do not delay emergency care when danger signs are present.

Medicine safety and first-aid guide

This section is for patient education only. It does not replace a doctor, pharmacist, or emergency care.

Safe first steps

  • Rest, drink safe water, and observe symptoms carefully.
  • Keep a written note of symptoms, duration, temperature, medicines already taken, and allergy history.
  • Seek medical care quickly if symptoms are severe, worsening, or unusual for the patient.

OTC medicine safety

  • For mild pain or fever, ask a registered pharmacist or doctor before using common over-the-counter pain/fever medicines.
  • Do not combine multiple pain medicines without advice, especially if you have kidney disease, liver disease, stomach ulcer, asthma, pregnancy, or take blood thinners.
  • Do not give adult medicines to children unless a qualified clinician advises it.

Avoid these mistakes

  • Do not start antibiotics without a proper medical decision.
  • Do not use steroid tablets or injections casually for quick relief.
  • Do not delay emergency care because of home remedies.

Get urgent help if

  • Severe symptoms, confusion, fainting, breathing difficulty, chest pain, severe dehydration, or sudden weakness need urgent medical care.
Medicine names, dose, and timing must be decided by a qualified clinician or pharmacist after checking age, pregnancy, allergy, other diseases, and current medicines.

For rural patients and family caregivers

Patient health record and symptom diary

Write your symptoms, medicines already taken, test results, and questions before visiting a doctor. This note stays on your device unless you print or copy it.

Doctor to discuss: Doctor / qualified healthcare provider
Tests to discuss with doctor
  • Basic vital signs: temperature, pulse, blood pressure, oxygen level if needed
  • Relevant blood, urine, imaging, or specialist tests only after clinical assessment
Questions to ask
  • What is the most likely cause of my symptoms?
  • Which warning signs mean I should go to emergency care?
  • Which tests are really needed now?
  • Which medicines are safe for my age, pregnancy status, allergy, kidney/liver/stomach condition, and current medicines?

Emergency warning signs such as chest pain, severe breathing difficulty, sudden weakness, confusion, severe dehydration, major injury, or loss of bladder/bowel control need urgent medical care. Do not wait for online information.

Safe pathway to proper treatment

Care roadmap for: What Is Birth Brachial Plexus Injury?

Use this simple roadmap to understand the next safe steps. It is educational and does not replace examination by a doctor.

Go to emergency care if you notice:
  • Severe or rapidly worsening symptoms
  • Breathing difficulty, chest pain, fainting, confusion, severe weakness, major injury, or severe dehydration
Doctor / service to discuss: Qualified healthcare provider; specialist depends on symptoms and examination.
  1. Step 1

    Check danger signs first

    If danger signs are present, seek emergency care and do not wait for online information.

  2. Step 2

    Record the symptom story

    Write when symptoms started, severity, medicines already taken, allergies, pregnancy status, and test results.

  3. Step 3

    Visit a qualified clinician

    A doctor, nurse, or qualified healthcare provider can examine you and decide which tests or treatment are needed.

  4. Step 4

    Do only useful tests

    Do tests after clinical assessment. Avoid unnecessary tests, random antibiotics, or repeated medicines without diagnosis.

  5. Step 5

    Follow up and return early if worse

    If symptoms worsen, new warning signs appear, or treatment is not helping, return for review quickly.

Rural patient practical tips
  • Take a written symptom diary and all previous prescriptions/test reports.
  • Do not hide medicines already taken, even herbal or over-the-counter medicines.
  • Ask which warning signs mean urgent referral to hospital.

This roadmap is for education. A real diagnosis and treatment plan requires history, examination, and clinical judgment.

RX Patient Help

Ask a health question safely

Write your symptom story. A health professional or site editor can review it before any answer is prepared. This box is not for emergency care.

Emergency first: Severe chest pain, breathing trouble, unconsciousness, stroke signs, severe injury, heavy bleeding, or rapidly worsening symptoms need urgent local medical care now.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Causes Birth Brachial Plexus Injury?

Brachial plexus injuries happen whenever nerves get stretched or injured. Some of these injuries happen during the birth process. Most often the baby’s shoulders may become wedged within the birth canal, causing nerve injury to the brachial plexus as the baby is delivered.

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