Dear Dr. Roach: What is known about Parsonage-Turner syndrome? One of my brothers has severe shoulder pain. He had an MRI done and was told that it may be Parsonage-Turner syndrome. Can this be related to COVID? He has been recommended to a neurologist, but they probably won't be able to help. He decided to do acupuncture and will be scheduling an appointment soon.

— L.A.

Dear L.A.: The nerve roots that come off the spinal cord in the lower neck and upper chest come together in the lower neck and the axilla (armpit) to form a complex neurological structure called the brachial plexus. Neuralgic amyotrophy — also called Parsonage-Turner syndrome, paralytic brachial neuritis, and other names — is an inflammation of the brachial plexus.

The classic symptom of neuralgic amyotrophy is the s

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