If you have a nerve problem, you might not be able to move your arm or leg well. Or your skin can feel tingly, like pins and needles. Or it can feel numb, like it’s asleep. Sometimes, the pins and needles can be so intense that they feel painful.
At the UPMC Brachial Plexus and Peripheral Nerve Disorder Center, we diagnose and treat nerve problems. Our experts are dedicated to helping people with nerve disorders return to a healthy and active life.
Our experts are able to treat an array of nerve issues, including:
Nerves are cables that send information between your body and your brain.
For instance, to move your hand, the signal from your brain goes through your nerves to your arm muscles. For you to feel something that touches your skin, the information goes from your skin, through the nerves, to your brain.
There are many nerves for different muscles and parts of your body.
Nerves can get cut or stop working after an accident or injury. Or they can work less well at certain locations in your body for reasons not well understood. For example, we don’t know what causes carpal tunnel syndrome. But we do know that splints at night and sometimes surgery can help you feel better.
At the UPMC Brachial Plexus and Peripheral Nerve Disorder Center, we specialize in the treatment of such nerve issues.
If a nerve cannot send signals, muscles stop working or get weak or the feeling in a body part changes. That's why a nerve problem can cause your skin to tingle or numb. This feeling can become so intense that it becomes painful.
If you wait months or years, nerve problems can result in permanent nerve damage. Certain treatments may no longer be possible. To prevent this from happening, make an appointment with a never specialist if you think you have nerve problems.
The brachial plexus is a network of nerves that runs from the bones in your neck to your shoulder. There are a lot of connections between your nerves in this area. Injury at this location can cause many problems from your shoulder down to your fingertips.
Our team specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of brachial plexus injuries.
After talking with you and doing a physical exam, we can often determine if you have a nerve problem. Sometimes, we'll need to run tests to diagnose a nerve issue, like a nerve conduction study. A doctor will test how well your nerves work by using sensors and small electrical currents.
If a nerve is just bruised, it will likely heal on its own in one or two years. If a nerve is cut, we can often repair it with surgery or restore function by moving other nerves or muscles that still work.
If a nerve doesn’t work well at a specific location in your body, treatment with a splint may be enough to reduce symptoms. Other times, surgery can give a nerve more space so it can work better — like with carpal tunnel syndrome.
Depending on your nerve issue, our experts will use the latest treatments available for nerve disorders, including:
UPMC Brachial Plexus and Peripheral Nerve Disorder Center
UPMC Mercy Professional Building
1350 Locust St., Suite G-103
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
412-232-5616
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