Is there any chance to keep my left arm?

Question

the doctors broke my left arm when my mom was giving birth to me.But if they didn't i wouldn't be alive.And i couldn't move my arm much since then.But after i had a surgery when i was 6 it got better but i still can't lift it up more than60degrees.Maybe i could've been ok if i moved it more after the surgery but i guess i was used to not moving it.Now i'm 19 and my left arm is 5mm shorter than the right one and thinner.The most important thing is i can't feel anything in some muscle parts of my left arm including right below the back of my neck on the left side. but the fingers are working better than the right one.Do u think i might completely lose my left arm in time?Does anyone know?Because alot of doctors didn't give me any good info or advice.i feel like i'm losing it more and more

Answer 1

You won't lose your arm ... but given that you are now many years down the track it is unlikely that the nerve injuries you must have sustained during birth will recover.

Adegbehingbe et al. state that fractures are very common (>50% of obstetric birth trauma) as are brachial plexus injuries (>33%) and that 20-25% are left with some form of permanent neurological impairment.

But blood flows to your arm. You can use some of the muscles - particularly the muscles of your fingers. These are all good signs and barring any other disease process or trauma, I can't imagine why you would lose your arm now after all these years.

You may do well to see an occupational therapist who can help you with exercises (and splinting if need be) to improve the function of your affected limb(s).

Answer 2

You will definitely not lose your arm. Even though the surgery was done about 13 years back; you are just 19, you still can keep trying to make some extra moves or exercise such that you might bring more strength to the left arm also. If you do so not only will your left arm get stronger, even the muscle that you don't feel might slowly gain strength and you might feel it. High chances are eventually your hand might get completely normal.