Klumpke’s Palsy : The Path To Recovery

Klumpke's Palsy Birth InjuryThere are many types of injuries that nerves can sustain. These can come from a variety of activities. Examples include contact sports, other diseases, or accidents. Klumpke’s palsy can come from most of these. This palsy is notable for also being a birth injury caused by certain conditions during childbirth. Difficult cases of childbirth, in particular, are capable of causing Klumpke’s palsy.

Klumpke’s palsy can be life-changing. People affected by this condition experience many symptoms that make day-to-day tasks difficult. Treatment can also be rather expensive. If your child has Klumpke’s palsy as a result of a medical malpractice, make sure that you consult with a lawyer. You may need all the help you can get in order to cover for the treatment.

What is Klumpke’s Palsy?

Palsies refer to several types of paralysis. These often cause difficulty of controlled movement, numbness, weakness, and more. Klumpke’s palsy, in particular, is a type of palsy from a brachial plexus injury.  Erb’s Palsy tends to heal on it’s own, but this is not the case with Klumpke’s Palsy. This is possible when a person’s neck is injured. Although not very common, this disease deserves to be taken note of. This is because it causes effects that make it hard for a person to do everyday activities.

What Are The Effects of Klumpke’s Palsy on a Person?

Klumpke’s palsy is a nerve injury. This means that it causes a number of symptoms that make it hard for a person to move. Many cases resolve after some time. However, other cases can cause lasting damage. Some of the most notable effects of Klumpke’s palsy are the following:

  • Hand muscle paralysis, which makes it hard for a person to move the hands.
  • Numbness and loss of sensation in some parts of the body.
  • Ptosis, which is characterized by drooping eyelids.
  • Myosis, which is characterized by excessive pupil constriction.
  • Weakness and difficulty in movement in some parts of the body.

What Causes Klumpke’s Palsy?

There are many causes of Klumpke’s palsy. These normally come from injuries of the neck. In particular, the following are some of the known causes:

  • Childbirth: Childbirth can also notably cause Klumpke’s palsy in an infant. This will be discussed further later on.
  • Other diseases: There are some diseases that have a chance of causing Klumpke’s palsy. Some of these diseases include cancer, some tumors, and more.
  • Sports: Some sports are more likely to cause Klumpke’s palsy more than others. Contact sports like wresting or football can cause the nerves to stretch. This excessive stretching can cause injury to the brachial plexus.
  • Accidents: Some accidents that cause injuries to the neck can injure the brachial plexus. Some of these include vehicle accidents, falling accidents, assault-related incidents, and many more.

Klumpke’s Palsy in Infants

A difficult childbirth may cause Klumpke’s palsy in an infant. Some of the risk factors include the following:

  • Infant size and weight: higher infant size and weight can cause more difficult vaginal deliveries.
  • Size of the mother: smaller women are more likely to have more difficult childbirth.
  • Improper extraction: There are cases wherein the doctor may become too aggressive in pulling the baby out. These can cause neck injuries to the infant.
  • Incorrect doctor’s calls during childbirth: There are certain incidents that can happen during childbirth. These can cause complications that can cause Klumpke’s palsy if not dealt with correctly. A doctor needs to make the correct calls in these instances.

If your child has Klumpke’s palsy that you suspect comes from medical malpractice, consult a lawyer. The Clark Law Office is experienced in these cases and can help you get the compensation that your family and child needs to deal with the expensive treatments and care required.

How is Klumpke’s Palsy Diagnosed and Treated?

There are medical processes that can be used for diagnosing Klumpke’s palsy. Nerve conduction tests and electromyography can be used for diagnosing this condition.

Some treatment methods include the following:

  • Therapy: There are certain types of therapy that can cause improvements in the patients.
  • Immobilizing the limb: Splints and casts involving the limb involved in the injury can help with recovery.
  • Electric nerve stimulation: This can also be used to affect the nerve itself.

Treatment of Klumpke’s Palsy in infants may be a bit more difficult. This is because many of the methods cannot be used on infants.

Contact Our Michigan Klumpke’s Palsy Lawyers

If you suspect that you or your child’s Klumpke’s palsy is a result of malpractice, consult a lawyer. You should know your rights, and The Clark Law Office can help you. Treatment of Klumpke’s palsy can be quite costly. Depending on circumstances, our lawyers can help you get the necessary funds to deal with these costs. You may contact us through +1 (517) 347-6900 for a free consultation.  We charge no fees unless you win for all birth injury cases.

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