what causes nerve damage in aging bodybuilders arms etc

[honest]

weakness followed by severe atrophy, firstly go to your doctor, tell him your symptoms, get him to recommend a specialist, specialist will get you to undergo an MRI, from which you will be able to see if your disc injury is severe, badly pinched discs can also cause nerve damage, but usually this can be corrected. My injury like Ronnies was left to late, once the nerve has been impeded for a long period of time,total recovery wont happen, best advice is to get diagnosed as soon as you can and if you need surgery dont put it off.

[BigCyp]

I wouldn't be surpised if I developed Multiple Sclerosis (which is a degenerative nerve disorder) from throwing ungodly weights around the gym, squatting ATG 20 reps, and throwing up halfway, and still posting on the G&O in between it all, to be honest

[jon cole]

I had to stop upright row because of left shoulder pain, and after the pain i left sensation in two of my finger in the left hand, and noticeable atrophy on my left upper body.

now it's better but at a time my left upper body was at least 50 % less bigger.
i've got horrible pain in the medium portion of my left traps.

[WOOO]

if you look at a lot of people, you can see imbalances from one side of their body to the other.  Faces aren't symmetrical on one side.  I've seen girls with boobs that weren't quite identical.

Now, you inject a person with minor imbalances with enough growth hormone - you're growing bone, muscle, goodness knows what else...  then you diet this person down and prance them around nekkid in posing trunks... you're going to see inconsistencies in development. 

missing a "no homo" disclaimer on this one

no homo

[basil]

I think youre on to something here.

My "theory" has always been that this was a result of some form of entrapment neuropathy leading to this. Would love to hear some other docs weigh in on this.

I'm not a doc, but I do have experience with dealing with TOS.  I've asked several docs, and in my experience they've initially identified it as carpal tunnel after running me through the 3 or 4 basic test, which did identify a nerve issue.  I was pretty sure it wasn't so I looked further.  I didn't get to a good ortho (been waiting 6 months) so I did a lot of research, read a lot of boards, and listened to my body and things have been progressing. 

Effective stretching, some nerve flossing and trigger point therapy, particularly at the pec/delt insertion and the general area below the anterior delt.(basically the thoracic outlet area) is working for me and I'm getting full feeling to the tips of all my fingers.  Overhead movements aggravate the problem; general movements involving the arms can exacerbate the issue over time if not identified and resolved early enough.  I'm certain the problem originates in the chest shoulder area with nerves becoming restricted within soft tissue.  Those are just some of my observations. 

[BigCyp]

I'm not a doc, but I do have experience with dealing with TOS.  I've asked several docs, and in my experience they've initially identified it as carpal tunnel after running me through the 3 or 4 basic test, which did identify a nerve issue.  I was pretty sure it wasn't so I looked further.  I didn't get to a good ortho (been waiting 6 months) so I did a lot of research, read a lot of boards, and listened to my body and things have been progressing. 

Effective stretching, some nerve flossing and trigger point therapy, particularly at the pec/delt insertion and the general area below the anterior delt.(basically the thoracic outlet area) is working for me and I'm getting full feeling to the tips of all my fingers.  Overhead movements aggravate the problem; general movements involving the arms can exacerbate the issue over time if not identified and resolved early enough.  I'm certain the problem originates in the chest shoulder area with nerves becoming restricted within soft tissue.  Those are just some of my observations. 

This makes sense. Since I've been diagnosed, my fingers on my left hand go completely. Numb if I raise my arm above shoulder level (laterally) for more than aa few seconds. In my case it's because the myelin insulation covering my nerves in damaged, but the outcome would be similar to carpal tunnel, in that certain movements restrict signals and cause loss of sensation...

[vascsurgeon]

Thoracic outlet syndrome.

Here is a simple test.
Check your radial pulse with your arm at your side relaxed. Then again: Arm bent like DB press start position and finish position. Then again with arms outstretched like lateral raise only with elbow straight.
See if you lose your pulse or get numbness/tingle in fingers.
Many have this due to pectoral muscle or small space between 1st and second rib.
There is more to it, but that is a very accurate simple test.
Hope this helps.