sorry we had to meet like this my dear fellow!

it sounds like you had better pull up a chair and do some reading. see the stickys up top? loaded with more than you ever wanted to know about thoracic whatlet? syndrome...

hey, i sincerely hope you'll join the site and hang around the TOS forum to learn more and hear others' stories.

i think you've already earned your seat...

it is very hard to find a good, knowledgeable PT who knows how to work with an injury like this one. TOS can be a difficult taskmaster, my friend, to say the least.

what part of the country are you in? maybe we can help you find someone most excellent.

another good person to add to your treatment team would be a bodyworker of some sort. there are several options and a few have national networks, which make the process of finding a master practitioner a bit easier. i am speaking of hellerwork, alexander technique, feldenkrais, muscle activation technique practitioners and the like.

but one step at a time, OK? others will be along shortly to welcome you and to chime in with suggestions and to put up links for you (which i suck at).

i'm sorry this is happening to you but glad you have found us. i think you'll find that you'll be able to get some answers now that you finally have an accurate dx. the floodgates are about to open! look out.

i wish you the best of luck on your journey. pick up a few icepacks if you don't already have some - they're my "woobies" and i don't travel far without them... CVS has a good one on sale right now actually which you can use cold or hot (microwavable). it's made by thermionics, called thermipaq, costs around $15. i ice my brachial plexus, neck, shoulder, forearm, hand, whatever's flaring...

be good to that arm, now, and don't do anything that causes pain or nerve symptoms. but i wouldn't use an immobilizer or a sling, either, as you don't want to end up with a "frozen shoulder." this is a sticky wicket i'm afraid, but there are lots and lots of things for you to try. lurk, read, post as you are comfortable. we are all more than happy to help you. we need you just as much as you need us, so i do hope you'll stay.

you won't be bored here, of that i am pretty sure!

alison