Sunny Mandal1, Irfan Chhipa2, Mitesh Patel2* and Sunny Gupta22
1AtlantiCare Family Medicine Residency, USA
2Rothman Orthopaedics, USA
*Corresponding Author: Mitesh Patel, Rothman Orthopaedics, USA.
Received: August 18, 2025; Published: October 10, 2025
Parsonage-Turner syndrome (PTS), also known as neuralgic amyotrophy or brachial neuritis, is a neurological disorder characterized by acute onset upper extremity pain followed by progressive muscle weakness. It can be triggered by a variety of insults, including infections, immune-mediated responses, mechanical stressors, or genetic predispositions. The underlying pathophysiology involves inflammation or injury of the brachial plexus, resulting in varying presentations depending on the specific nerve roots or branches affected. Despite its variable manifestations, PTS typically follows a recognizable chronological pattern. Patients first experience the sudden onset of intense shoulder or upper arm pain, often unilateral, lasting for days to weeks. This initial painful phase is followed by muscle weakness and atrophy, which can persist for several months. Recovery of muscle function occurs gradually during the final phase, although some patients may experience incomplete recovery.
We present the case of a 21-year-old male who reported five weeks of progressive left shoulder pain. He was initially evaluated at an urgent care center, where he was prescribed anti-inflammatory medication and provided with a sling. However, due to minimal improvement, he sought further evaluation at a sports medicine clinic. On physical examination, he had full passive ROM but had weakness with active ROM, a positive O'Brien’s test, and 4/5 strength of the supraspinatus and infraspinatus. An MRI of the left shoulder (without contrast) was ordered to evaluate the weakness and showed a bright T2 signal in the supraspinatus and infraspinatus muscles with slight loss of muscle bulk, but intact tendons. These findings were consistent with denervation changes. Based on the clinical presentation and imaging results, a diagnosis of Parsonage-Turner syndrome was made. The patient experienced gradual symptom improvement through a combination of home exercises and physical therapy.
In conclusion, Parsonage-Turner syndrome remains an important but often under-recognized cause of upper extremity pain and dysfunction. Awareness of its classic symptom progression and imaging findings is essential for timely diagnosis and appropriate management.
Keywords: Parsonage Turner Syndrome; Brachial Neuritis; Neurological Disorder
Citation: Mitesh Patel., et al. “Parsonage Turner Syndrome: A Review of Brachial Neuritis"Acta Scientific Orthopaedics 8.10 (2025): 36-38.
Copyright: © 2025 Mitesh Patel., et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
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