Trauma to the brachial plexus, marked by a fiery sensation in the neck that radiates down the arm, especially when the neck is deviated from the involved side and the contralateral shoulder is depressed. This condition, which is esp. prevalent in contact sports, causes the cervical nerve root to become compressed between two vertebrae. Weakness and numbness follow the burning sensation but are usually transient. Repeated brachial plexus trauma can result in permanent neuropathy.