Common spine & neck concerns we treat
- Pain that limits walking, lifting, or sleep
- Stiffness, swelling, or reduced range of motion
- Sports injuries: acute or overuse
- Arthritis or post-traumatic joint changes
- Conditions other doctors couldn't resolve
Burners & Stingers
Sudden, brief nerve pain down one arm
A burner or stinger is a temporary nerve injury in the neck or shoulder (common in football tackles) that produces a sudden burning or electric sensation down the arm. Same-day or next-day evaluations across eight LA-area offices.
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Board-certified surgeons and podiatrists across eight Los Angeles area neighborhoods.
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What sets LAOSS apart
- Same- or next-day appointments at eight Los Angeles-area offices
- On-site imaging; PT coordinated with your in-network provider
- Conservative-first care, surgery only when needed
- Board-certified specialists, not generalists
Key takeaways
- Burners & Stingers are among the many spine & neck conditions our specialists evaluate every day.
- Most burners and stingers resolve on their own within minutes to days; treatment is rest, neck and shoulder strengthening, and a safe return-to-play plan.
- Recurrent stingers, both-arm symptoms, or persistent weakness warrant imaging to rule out cervical stenosis before returning to contact sports.
- On-site imaging at most offices and same-day appointments across eight Los Angeles-area locations.
What are burners and stingers?
A burner or stinger is a temporary nerve injury in the neck or shoulder (common in football tackles) that produces a sudden burning or electric sensation down the arm. Symptoms start at the moment of impact and almost always affect one arm only.
Most burners and stingers resolve on their own: symptoms typically fade within minutes to days. Treatment is rest from contact, restoring full neck and shoulder motion and strength, and a structured return to play once symptoms have completely cleared; surgery and injections are not treatments for a stinger. What does need attention: recurrent stingers, symptoms in both arms, or weakness that persists. These warrant imaging to rule out cervical stenosis or nerve-root compression before returning to contact sports.
Below, we walk through the anatomy involved, the symptoms and causes we most often see, how we diagnose burners and stingers, and the full range of treatment options, from the simplest to the most involved.
Watch: Burners and Stingers
These are warm or painful sensations caused by an injury to the brachial plexus. This is a network of nerves that passes through your shoulder. They travel down your arm and to your hand.
Inside the spine & neck.
The spine has 33 vertebrae stacked in five regions: cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral, and coccygeal. Between each vertebra sits a disc that cushions and allows motion. The spinal cord and nerve roots run through the canal, so when a disc bulges, a joint enlarges, or a vertebra slips, pain can radiate into the arms or legs.
Symptoms and causes of burners and stingers
Common symptoms
- Sudden burning or electric pain down the arm
- Numbness or tingling in the arm and hand
- Arm weakness lasting seconds to minutes
- Usually resolves quickly
Common causes
- Football or rugby tackles with the head pushed to one side
- Wrestling or contact-sport collision
- Sudden traction injury to the neck and shoulder
- Cervical disc herniation or spinal stenosis in older athletes
How we diagnose burners and stingers
You want answers, fast, and we're built to give them. Most patients leave their first LAOSS visit with a clear diagnosis and a written plan, not another referral chain.
Here's what your initial visit for burners and stingers typically looks like:
- Detailed history: when it started, what makes it better or worse, what you've already tried
- Focused exam of the spine & neck: range of motion, stability, strength, specific provocation tests
- On-site imaging at most offices: X-ray for bone, ultrasound or MRI when soft-tissue detail is needed
- A written plan for recovery, strengthening, and a safe return to play, in plain English
Schedule your evaluation at the LAOSS office nearest you.
How we treat burners and stingers at LAOSS
Once we've confirmed the diagnosis, the next step is matching the right treatment to your situation. We start with the least-invasive option that fits, and escalate only when it doesn't.
Conservative care
Step 1Standard stinger care
Almost every burner or stinger is treated without procedures of any kind.
- Immediate removal from play until symptoms fully resolve
- Rest from contact, then progressive neck and shoulder strengthening
- Physical therapy to restore full motion and strength
- Equipment and tackling-technique review for athletes
- Return to play only with full, symptom-free strength and motion
Surgical care
When neededWhen more work-up is needed
Red flags change the plan: recurrent or persistent symptoms need imaging before any return to contact.
- MRI for recurrent stingers, both-arm symptoms, or persistent weakness
- Evaluation for cervical stenosis or disc herniation
- EMG / nerve studies when weakness lasts beyond a few weeks
- Spine-surgeon referral only if a structural problem is found
Why experience matters.
Why experience matters
Spine & neck care is highly technique-dependent. Volume, training, and judgment together determine the outcome you actually feel six months later.
- Precise diagnosis from imaging and exam
- Conservative-first care that avoids unnecessary surgery
- Surgical technique refined over thousands of cases
- On-site imaging + coordinated PT through your in-network provider
The LAOSS approach
Our spine & neck specialists move stepwise: start with the least-invasive option that fits your situation, escalate only when it doesn't.
- Same-day imaging at most offices
- PT coordinated in your insurance network
- Board-certified surgeons performing the procedures themselves
- Direct access to your specialist between visits
Am I a candidate?
If most of these match your situation, an evaluation with a spine & neck specialist is the next step.
You may be a candidate if
These signs typically point toward an in-person evaluation with a spine & neck specialist.
- Pain or stiffness in the spine & neck that lasts more than a few days
- Swelling, instability, or noticeable change in function
- Symptoms that limit walking, lifting, sleep, or work
- Previous treatment that didn't fully resolve the problem
- Imaging or exam findings that suggest an underlying issue
What evaluation includes
Your first visit is built to give you an answer the same day, not just another referral.
- Detailed history: onset, mechanism, what makes it better or worse
- Hands-on exam focused on the affected joint or region
- On-site imaging at most offices (X-ray, ultrasound)
- Clear plan with options ranging from conservative to surgical
- Same-day or next-day scheduling for any follow-up tests
ImportantGo to the emergency room or call 911 for loss of bowel or bladder control, numbness in the groin or inner thighs, or weakness in the arms or legs that is getting worse quickly. Seek urgent evaluation for sudden severe pain, new numbness, or any sign of infection (fever, increasing redness or swelling).
Your spine & neck recovery roadmap.
Recovery is rarely a straight line, but a clear plan with measurable milestones makes the path predictable.
- Days 0 to 14
Right after care
In the first two weeks we focus on protecting the spine & neck, calming inflammation, and restoring basic motion.
- Activity modification with clear do/don't guidance
- Ice or heat and pain control as needed
- Gentle range-of-motion within safe limits
- Follow-up scheduled to track healing
- Weeks 2 to 8
Rehabilitation
Targeted physical therapy rebuilds strength, mobility, and confidence in the spine & neck.
- Progressive strengthening and neuromuscular work
- Manual therapy and soft-tissue treatment
- Sport- or job-specific movement re-training
- Coordinated PT through your in-network provider
- Months 2+
Long-term care
Once function is restored, the focus shifts to keeping you there, and catching any recurrence early.
- Return-to-activity plan with measured benchmarks
- Home program tailored to your sport or job
- Maintenance visits or imaging if symptoms change
- Direct line back to your specialist if needed
Risks & considerations
What to weigh before you decide.
A stinger usually clears on its own, so the decisions to weigh are about when it is safe to return to contact.
General considerations
A stinger is treated without procedures, so the main things to weigh are timing and safety when returning to contact.
- Returning to contact before symptoms clear raises the risk of another stinger
- Repeated stingers can cause longer-lasting weakness
- Neck and shoulder strength should be back to normal before full contact
- Further testing in some cases, such as MRI or nerve studies
Signs of a more serious neck injury
Some symptoms are not typical of a stinger and point to a more serious neck or spinal cord injury. Symptoms in both arms or in the legs, or neck pain right after a hit, are an emergency: keep the neck still and call 911. Lingering weakness and stingers that keep coming back need prompt evaluation before any return to contact.
- Symptoms in both arms, or in the legs
- Neck pain or loss of neck motion after the injury
- Weakness that does not clear or gets worse
- Stingers that keep coming back
Meet our spine & neck doctors in the Greater Los Angeles area
At LAOSS, our spine & neck specialists are board-certified and treat these problems every day. From image-guided injections and minimally invasive spine procedures to spine surgery when it is needed, our physicians bring decades of experience to every case. We have cared for Los Angeles patients since 2007, with one goal for each: less pain, better movement, and a return to the activities you love.
Meet your spine & neck specialists.
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Accepting new patients
Jose Antonio Acosta, MD
Pain Management & Rehabilitation
Speaks English and Spanish
Habla español
- Glendale
- Encino
- Valencia
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Care for burners and stingers starts here
Don't let burners and stingers be something you just power through. With same- or next-day appointments at multiple Los Angeles locations, you'll never wait weeks or months for answers. The same team handles your diagnosis, treatment, and recovery. Whether you need reassurance and a return-to-play plan, structured strengthening, or work-up for recurrent symptoms, we plan it with you and coordinate each step.
Call or schedule online today to see a spine & neck specialist in Los Angeles.
Common burner and stinger questions
- We start with a focused orthopedic exam and detailed history. X-rays are usually done in-office; MRI or ultrasound is ordered when soft-tissue detail is needed. Most patients leave the first visit with a clear diagnosis and a written plan.
Don't wait on pain.
Book a visit with a spine & neck specialist at any of our eight Los Angeles-area offices.
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21 specialists · 8 offices
Greater Los Angeles
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