Parsonage-Turner syndrome (PTS)

A neurological autoimmune disease characterized by rapid development of severe shoulder and arm pain followed by muscular atrophy in the areas affected. Typically PTS affects the brachial plexus, the nerve network that extends from the spine to the neck, armpits, and arms, and controls movements and sensations in these areas. Symptoms and severity depend on the specific nerves involved.

Sharp, burning pain in one shoulder, the neck, arm, hand, or legs that worsens in the evenings, muscle weakness in the shoulder, reflex issues, numbness or loss of feeling in extremities, partial dislocation of the shoulder joint, limited range of motion in joints, protruding shoulder blade, shortened muscles/tendons, shortness of breath, sweating, swelling, red/purple hands, or spotting of hands.

Polyneuropathy, paresthesia, dysesthesia, and hypoesthesia, and multiple sclerosis.

Male sex, surgery, strenuous exercise, minor trauma, certain anesthesia medication, and viral infection.
Pre-existing conditions such as connective tissue disease, lupus, temporal arteritis, polyarteritis nodosa, and childbirth have been identified as potential triggers.

• Nerve torsion as a pattern of Parsonage-Turner syndrome: Literature review and two representative cases (2023)
• Parsonage-Turner syndrome after COVID-19 infection (2022)
• Parsonage-Turner syndrome: a firsthand experience of an uncommon malady (2021)
• Atypical presentation of Parsonage-Turner syndrome (2020)