AndrewC

Hey. I am a 21 year old male who had dreams of being a professional martial artists and fitness competitor. Now, I am seeing my dream die as my left shoulder is completely atrophied due to an axillary nerve damage that occured from a shoulder dislocation fifteen months ago.

The shoulder dislocation occured in a slam during the wrestling tournament, and the initial diagnosis was that I would heal in 3-6 months. However, 5 month later, I found out I had nerve damage as well as torn labrun.

I had phantom limb and complete numbness during that time, and acupuncture helped me get some feeling back in the shoulder (0% to perhaps 30% feeling), but the deltoids muscles themselves still would not fire or function.

I have been fighting this condition for almost a year and a half now, seeing all the doctors and physical therapist I could, to no avail. My most recent EMG test show that there was extremely slight improvement over the year-period, but way less than normal. The doctors believe the nerve trunk itself is still intact, but cannot figure out why the nerve is not healing.

These days, I also get intense pain/stimulation in the nerve for 10-60 seconds almost daily for four months now, and I hope that is a good sign, but I cannot be sure.

I am currently facing a possible nerve transplant from my radial nerve of the long-head of the tricep to the axillary nerve. I really do not want to go through with this operation, but I am not sure what else to do. It is possible that I lose not only my shoulder, but my triceps as well if the surgery does not work, since it is uncertain if my shoulder will take in the radial nerve.

Any advice you have, experiences, knowledge, information, resources, anything at all would be much appreciated. I heard about all these stories of people losing their nerve and getting it back. I told my doctors about it, and they said the only thing I can do is just wait more or do the surgery that has no certainty of improvements and even chances of making things worst, permanently! I am mad that everyone everywhere keeps telling me there is nothing I can do but wait for the nerve to come back or do this risky surgery that could cause me to lose both my shoulder and part of my triceps!

Please help. I am sure someone, somewhere, has to know a way to heal such a injury and point me in the direction to get back on track. Thank you so much.

Training:

I am lifting, on average, almost 50% less than I used to due to this injury, as it affects other lefts such as bench, pull ups, squats, etc. My shoulder lifts themselves are at 1% of what they used to be. I been working so hard everyday to heal and to get my body better. I did everything the physical therapists tell me to do and I am just crushed right now. I promised myself I would be healed in three months, then six, then nine...and I am really losing hope of ever being able to go after my martial art and fitness dreams.