What's the difference between a stinger/burner and a neuropraxia? Our 17-year-old son is in with the high school team physician being examined to determine which one he has. We'd like to get a jump up on the information so we know what questions to ask and what kind of treatment to expect.
The term neuropraxia describes symptoms of bilateral (affecting both sides) burning, numbness, loss of sensation, and muscle weakness of the arms and hands. The symptoms are caused by pressure on the spinal cord in the cervical spine (neck). It is like having a concussion to the spinal cord (instead of to the brain). The symptoms can last minutes up to hours. With burners or stingers, the spinal cord nerve root coming off the spinal cord (not the spinal cord itself) is pinched or compressed. The player experiences the same symptoms of burning, numbness, loss of sensation and/or weakness but in just one arm, not both arms. Whether it's burners, stingers, or neuropraxia, full recovery is expected -- if the player doesn't go back on the field and experience another high-energy contact injury to the head and/or neck. And if there isn't an undetected fracture of the vertebra or damage to the disc. Only an examination and X-ray, MRI, or CT scan to rule out this type of trauma will answer that question. It sounds like that's where your son is in the process. An expert panel of spine surgeons, neurologists, and orthopedic surgeons who specialize in trauma have suggested the following guidelines: