Radial neuropathy

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Radial neuropathy Classification and external resources
The suprascapular, axillary, and radial nerves.
ICD-10	G56.3
ICD-9	354.3
eMedicine	neuro/587
MeSH	D020425

Radial neuropathy (or radial mononeuropathy) is a type of mononeuropathy which results from acute trauma to the radial nerve that extends the length of the arm.

It is known as transient paresthesia when sensation is temporarily abnormal.

Contents 1 Cultural references 2 Presentation 3 Causes 4 Prognosis 5 Notable cases

[edit] Cultural references

Saturday night palsy is a colloquial term for it.

The album Saturday Night Wrist (by the Deftones) and song "Saturday Night Palsy" (by TISM) are named after this term.

[edit] Presentation

Symptoms vary depending on the severity and location of the trauma; however, common symptoms include wrist drop (the inability to extend the wrist upward when the hand is palm down); numbness of the back of the hand and wrist; and inability to voluntarily straighten the fingers.

[edit] Causes

There are many ways to acquire radial neuropathy.

The term Saturday Night Palsy refers to nerve damage that can occur if a drunk person falls asleep with the back of their arms compressed by a bar edge, bench back, or like object. Radial neuropathy is also called honeymooners palsy, since it can be acquired by sitting with an arm draped over the back of a neighboring chair (or movie-theater seat) for a long time.

Both Saturday night palsy and honeymooners palsy refer to the fact that the nerve damage is generally forewarned by arm pain to a degree that only excessive love or liquor would drive a person to keep their arm in such an uncomfortable position.

Breaking the humerus and deep puncture wounds can also cause the condition.

Improperly sitting in a chair for several hours such that the armrest compresses the underside of the forearm is another potential cause.

[edit] Prognosis

Radial neuropathy is not necessarily permanent. Peripheral nerve regeneration is an imperfect and slow process, and full restoration of ability may take months, years, or may never occur.

[edit] Notable cases

• Dave Mustaine
• Julia Harvey

v • d • e Nervous system pathology, primarily PNS (G50-G99, 350-359) Nerve, nerve root and plexus disorders (neuropathy, radiculopathy, plexopathy) cranial nerve: V (Trigeminal neuralgia) - VII (Facial nerve paralysis, Bell's palsy, Melkersson-Rosenthal syndrome, Central seven) - XI (Accessory nerve disorder) nerve root and plexus: Brachial plexus lesion - Thoracic outlet syndrome - Phantom limb mononeuropathy: upper limb (Carpal tunnel syndrome, Ulnar nerve entrapment, Radial neuropathy) - Causalgia - lower limb (Meralgia paraesthetica, Tarsal tunnel syndrome, Morton's neuroma) - Mononeuritis multiplex Polyneuropathies and other disorders of the PNS hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy (Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, Dejerine Sottas syndrome, Refsum's disease) Guillain-Barré syndrome - Alcoholic polyneuropathy Diseases of myoneural junction autoimmune: Myasthenia gravis - Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome Diseases of muscle (myopathy)/ neuromuscular disease Muscular dystrophy myotonic (Myotonic dystrophy, Myotonia congenita, Thomsen disease, Neuromyotonia, Paramyotonia congenita) congenital myopathy (Centronuclear myopathy, Nemaline myopathy, Central core disease) Mitochondrial myopathy periodic paralysis: Hypokalemic - Hyperkalemic Dysautonomia/ Autonomic neuropathy Hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathy (Familial dysautonomia) - Horner's syndrome - Multiple system atrophy (Shy-Drager syndrome, Olivopontocerebellar atrophy)