Burners: How to Care for Your Child

Burners (also called stingers or brachial plexus injuries) happen when nerves that go from the neck to the shoulder area are stretched or squeezed. Kids with burners may feel pain, burning, prickling, numbness, and/or weakness between the neck and hand. Many burners get better within a few minutes. Others can take a few months to heal completely. Burners do not usually cause lasting problems.

• Follow your health care provider's advice on:

  • activities your child should avoid and ones that are OK

  • exercises or stretches that your child should do

  • when your child can go back to sports

  • whether your child should see a physical therapist

• If your child has pain:

  • Put an ice bag or a cold compress on the hurt shoulder for 20 minutes every 2–3 hours. Keep clothing or a towel between the ice and your child's skin.

  • You can also try warm cloth or heating pads instead of cold packs.

  • Your health care provider may recommend acetaminophen (such as Tylenol® or a store brand) OR ibuprofen (such as Advil®, Motrin®, or a store brand).

Your child:

• has pain in both arms and/or both legs

• has pain in the arm that doesn't get better with acetaminophen or ibuprofen

• has pain in the arm that interferes with sleep

• has pain and weakness in the arm that doesn't improve over the next 2–4 weeks

What causes burners? Nerves send signals between different parts of the body. They tell us if something we touch is hot, cold, rough, or smooth. They also help us move.

In a burner, the nerves that go from the neck to the shoulder get stretched or squeezed. This irritates or damages the nerves and leads to pain, burning, prickling, numbness and/or weakness.

How can we prevent another burner or stinger? To make burners less likely, kids who play contact sports should:

• Keep their neck and shoulder muscles as strong and flexible as possible.

• Gently stretch the neck muscles before any athletic activity.

• Use protective gear (like a football neck collar/roll or specially designed shoulder pads).

• Never lead with the head or shoulders when tackling in football or rugby.