Most of you have probably never heard of Brachial Plexus Injury (BPI) before. I was introduced to it because my son, Joshua, was injured at birth.On June 7, 2003 my son, Joshua, was born. He was 9 lbs, 14 ounces at birth. The doctors decided that I was capable of delivering him vaginally however I had complications. I had a problem with preeclampsia in the past and the doctors were watching my blood pressure and platelets. I made it almost to full term when my blood pressure started to increase and my platelets started to drop so they decided to induce labor. It pretty much took most of the day to induce me.
When Joshua was born his right arm and hand were paralyzed. The doctor told me that even though Joshua was born with only 3 pushes he had to pull him out. Apparently the doctor grabbed his head, twisted his neck, and pulled. This caused the injury to the brachial plexus nerves in his neck.
When Joshua was born his right arm and hand were paralyzed. The doctor told me that even though Joshua was born with only 3 pushes he had to pull him out. Apparently the doctor grabbed his head, twisted his neck, and pulled. This caused the injury to the brachial plexus nerves in his neck.
We were referred by Joshua’s Pediatrician to Shriner’s Hospital and worked with Dr. James for years. Every time we changed Joshua’s diaper we moved his arms and joints. We were given 3-4 physical therapy exercises to do throughout the day. It luckily became a game and something that he enjoyed doing. As time went on and we continued to see Dr. James she said he was healing well and would not need tendon transfer. However she did say that his muscles in his right shoulder would never be as strong as those in his left due to the injury and that someday he might need tendon transfer or a shoulder replacement.
Because of this I began seeking alternative therapy and learned about Reiki. One of our friends is a Reiki Master and I took Joshua several times to her for Reiki treatments. I was able to see the difference in his shoulder immediately. I also took him to our chiropractor who was able to work with pressure points and his spine to help realign areas. He also had quite a few massages to help relax the muscles in his shoulders. I took him to a sports therapist as well who worked with him with physical therapy who told him the best therapy for his arm and shoulders would be swim. Because of this, we put him in swim lessons and he is active on the high school swim team today.
Today when you look at Joshua you can’t tell he has a problem because it’s mostly healed. He has been working out at the gym and told us that he’s noticed the right side takes a lot longer to strengthen and build than the left side but he continues to work on it. He has slight scoliosis in his thoracic spine because of the injury. When he runs in soccer he holds his right arm down closer to his side so he favors the right side a little bit.
Today when you look at Joshua you can’t tell he has a problem because it’s mostly healed. He has been working out at the gym and told us that he’s noticed the right side takes a lot longer to strengthen and build than the left side but he continues to work on it. He has slight scoliosis in his thoracic spine because of the injury. When he runs in soccer he holds his right arm down closer to his side so he favors the right side a little bit.
What Came First? The Chicken or the Egg?
As I began to learn IIPA iridology I started to wonder about that old saying “What came first: the chicken or the egg” because of the funnel that resides in Joshua’s right iris at the 10:00 o’clock position in the neck and shoulder reaction fields. I used to believe that the funnel was created when Joshua was born because of the injury but once I learned that the markings in the irises are genetic I started to really question my old beliefs about that. Because of IIPA iridology I now know that the funnel was already in Joshua’s iris and the weakness in his shoulder was already there in utero. Even if he was not harmed during birth he could have fallen and hurt his shoulder when he was a toddler and still ended up with a brachial plexus injury during sports. No one really knows what could happen.
What is a Funnel
Ellen Tart-Jensen describes a funnel in her book “Techniques in Iris Analysis Textbook for Iridology, page 135” as a marking that is created by an opening in the collarette that sweeps out into the ciliary zone. It shows a potential genetic deficiency in nerve energy to that particular body area. It is important to pay attention to the bowel area represented at the opening of the funnel as well as the organ field adjacent. Sometimes bowel congestion in that area can have a direct effect on the organ represented in the adjacent field.
As I began to learn IIPA iridology I started to wonder about that old saying “What came first: the chicken or the egg” because of the funnel that resides in Joshua’s right iris at the 10:00 o’clock position in the neck and shoulder reaction fields. I used to believe that the funnel was created when Joshua was born because of the injury but once I learned that the markings in the irises are genetic I started to really question my old beliefs about that. Because of IIPA iridology I now know that the funnel was already in Joshua’s iris and the weakness in his shoulder was already there in utero. Even if he was not harmed during birth he could have fallen and hurt his shoulder when he was a toddler and still ended up with a brachial plexus injury during sports. No one really knows what could happen.
What is a Funnel
Ellen Tart-Jensen describes a funnel in her book “Techniques in Iris Analysis Textbook for Iridology, page 135” as a marking that is created by an opening in the collarette that sweeps out into the ciliary zone. It shows a potential genetic deficiency in nerve energy to that particular body area. It is important to pay attention to the bowel area represented at the opening of the funnel as well as the organ field adjacent. Sometimes bowel congestion in that area can have a direct effect on the organ represented in the adjacent field.
What is the Brachial Plexus
The brachial plexus is the network of nerves that sends signals from your spinal cord to your shoulder, arm and hand. A brachial plexus injury occurs when these nerves are stretched, compressed, or in the most serious cases, ripped apart or torn away from the spinal cord.
Causes
Damage to the upper nerves that make up the brachial plexus tends to occur when your shoulder is forced down while your neck stretches up and away from the injured shoulder. The lower nerves are more likely to be injured when your arm is forced above your head. These injuries can occur in several ways, including:
Complications
Many brachial plexus injuries in both children and adults heal with little if any lasting damage. But some injuries can cause temporary or permanent problems, such as:
References
The brachial plexus is the network of nerves that sends signals from your spinal cord to your shoulder, arm and hand. A brachial plexus injury occurs when these nerves are stretched, compressed, or in the most serious cases, ripped apart or torn away from the spinal cord.
Causes
Damage to the upper nerves that make up the brachial plexus tends to occur when your shoulder is forced down while your neck stretches up and away from the injured shoulder. The lower nerves are more likely to be injured when your arm is forced above your head. These injuries can occur in several ways, including:
- Contact sports. Many football players experience burners or stingers, which can occur when the nerves in the brachial plexus get stretched beyond their limit during collisions with other players.
- Difficult births. Newborns can sustain brachial plexus injuries. These may be associated with high birth weight, breech presentation or prolonged labor. If an infant's shoulders get wedged within the birth canal, there is an increased risk of a brachial plexus palsy. Most often, the upper nerves are injured, a condition called Erb's palsy.
- Trauma. Several types of trauma — including motor vehicle accidents, motorcycle accidents, falls or bullet wounds — can result in brachial plexus injuries.
- Tumors and cancer treatments. Tumors can grow in or along the brachial plexus, or put pressure on the brachial plexus or spread to the nerves. Radiation treatments to the chest may cause damage to the brachial plexus.
Complications
Many brachial plexus injuries in both children and adults heal with little if any lasting damage. But some injuries can cause temporary or permanent problems, such as:
- Stiff joints. If you experience paralysis of your hand or arm, your joints can stiffen. This can make movement difficult, even if you eventually regain use of your limb. For that reason, your doctor is likely to recommend ongoing physical therapy during your recovery.
- Pain. This results from nerve damage and may become chronic.
- Numbness. If you lose feeling in your arm or hand, you run the risk of burning or injuring yourself without knowing it.
- Muscle atrophy. Nerves regrow slowly and can take several years to heal after injury. During that time, lack of use may cause the affected muscles to break down.
- Permanent disability. How well you recover from a serious brachial plexus injury depends on a number of factors, including your age and the type, location and severity of the injury. Even with surgery, some people experience permanent muscle weakness or paralysis.
References
- Mayo Clinic
- Techniques in Iris Analysis Textbook for Iridology, Ellen Tart-Jensen, pg 135”
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