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Old 06-29-2018, 07:44 PM
bburn bburn is offline
New Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 2
5 yr Member
bburn bburn is offline
New Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 2
5 yr Member
Default Me too

Looks like it has been about a year since you posted but, I hope you are doing well. I would like to reach out to you since your symptoms sound nearly identical to mine. Eye pain, facial pain, and headaches I consider the worst of them. I basically had a headache for 11 years straight. I am about 9 months post first rib resection. My story is a long one but, basically I went to countless doctors for years MRIs, CTs, X-ray, you name it. Never had any significant findings ever. Finally, I decided I HAD to convince a doc to operate on me. Luckily first rib resection can be performed from clinical findings alone because, again, no significant findings with the latest scans the thoracic surgeon ordered -AND-

after surgery I was informed by the surgeon and nurses that I had been living with a BROKEN/NON-UNION of my first rib since a dirt-bike crash when I was 17 (as of writing this I am 29 and my symptoms started after the crash).

My broken first rib was missed by doctors COUNTLESS times. Even the surgeon (who confessed he had missed it too) and nurses were astonished.
It was deemed such a clean break that it was hard to notice on imaging. I put the CT scan on my computer to look at (and knowing where and what to look for) using 3D modeling software and sure enough there it is. Needless to say I have ZERO trust in radiologists (I could elaborate quite a bit here as there are many cut and dry reasons why but I will leave that for another story).

Finally, to try to help you out my friend I want to tell you what has been helping me out. Immediately after the surgery I felt INCREDIBLE despite undergoing an invasive surgery.

Stretching my neck. A LOT.
Also, avoiding caffeine completely. Not even a cup of green tea.
It seems for me, that, that tightness in the neck is the source of my symptoms and pain.
I really stretch the operated on side of my neck like a mad man to be honest.
For nine months since I have to stretch everyday. Many days every hour. Stretch in the shower under mild heat too.
It seems the caffeine adds a little tightness to that area and even a little bit seems to cause quite a lot of pain and symptoms and does not allow for a very deep stretch.
At times during these 9 months post op I have gotten lazy with my stretching (I t gets exhausting sometimes) and I slowly feel my neck get tighter and the symptoms follow. Once this occurs it can take weeks to get myself to a lower pain level by getting back to the stretch-grind. lol

Sorry for the rant. It is the defining focus of my life for the past ~12 years condensed to a forum post. Please get back to me if you read this !
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