How will my doctor know if I have a burner?
Your doctor will ask questions and examine you. Burners happen in only one arm at a time. If both of your arms or one arm and a leg are hurt, you may have a serious neck injury, not a burner. If your doctor thinks you have a serious neck injury, he or she may take X-rays of your neck. Your doctor will also tell you how to protect your neck from further injury.
Source
The "Burner": A Common Nerve Injury in Contact Sports by GS Kuhlman, DB McKreag (American Family Physician November 01, 1999, http://www.aafp.org/afp/991101ap/2035.html)
Written by familydoctor.org editorial staff
Reviewed/Updated: 09/10
Created: 11/99