Rodeo cowgirl with nerve injury almost loses career

Jessica Meuth’s passion is rodeo. Since the age of 12, she has been riding donkeys and mules and competing in rodeo competitions. Now 38, Jessica’s passion is her full time gig.

However, in her mid-30s, Jessica faced an obstacle beyond the ring; she became aware of a health condition that was putting her passion at risk. Jessica started to experience numbness in her arms, which made it impossible for her to complete tasks such as lifting a saddle onto her donkey or mule, and carry heavy items, such as their food. Additionally, her arms were “falling asleep” while she was riding her animals. She began investigating.

After being misdiagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome, Jessica was referred to Dr. Nicholas Barbaro, neurosurgeon at Ascension Seton. Dr. Barbaro and his team ran some tests, and discovered that Jessica had bilateral thoracic outlet syndrome, a condition that occurs when blood vessels or nerves in the space between your collarbone and your first rib (thoracic outlet) are compressed, which can cause shoulder and neck pain and numbness in the arm and fingers.

Almost a year ago, in July 2022, Dr. Barbaro and his team completed an operation to help correct this condition. The operation involved removing some tissue that was putting pressure on the nerves in her neck and shoulder. Today, Jessica is fully recovered; completing and enjoying her passion without symptoms.

“After getting misdiagnosed, I appreciated someone listening to challenges I was facing, and getting to the bottom of it,” said Jessica. “After surgery, I felt a drastic change. Dr. Barbaro and his team helped tremendously, and I am happy to be back doing what I love.”

Nerve injuries treated at Ascension Seton

Earlier this year, Ascension Seton opened a new Nerve Injury Clinic, where patients can receive high quality, multidisciplinary care for traumatic injuries to nerves. The comprehensive Nerve Injury Clinic is the first of its kind in Central Texas, and serves as a “one stop shop” for all adult nerve injuries, including stretch, crush, stab and gunshot wounds.

The clinic’s multidisciplinary team includes neurologists, neurosurgeons, plastic surgeons with subspecialty training in hand surgery, nursing specialists, rehabilitation specialists, and more, allowing patients to be seen by multiple specialists in a single visit. Additionally, the clinic offers same-day electrophysiology studies for patients who are traveling long-distances to visit the clinic. Electrophysiological assessments are valuable in diagnosing patients with nerve injuries. At the end of each clinic, the specialists hold a conference to determine the best personalized care plan for each patient.