So I decided not to go through with the surgery. Couple of reasons.

1. My body is showing a tendancy to scar usually. I have an insect bite on my shoulder that has been there for months and it has "over-scarred" into a lump. And the same thing happened on my finger from just a small biopsy I donated to TOS research.

Chances are the scar tissue from the surgery will rd compress the nerves and actually make it worse.

2. Questionable diagnosis. I definitely have NTOS because the scalene block test was positive. But one clinician says the compression is caused by an abnormal muscle growth (through overuse) that has grown into the nerves, compressing them.

The other clinician says the problem is the muscle under my shoulder blade becoming weak through overuse and not being able to hold my shoulder in place properly. The shoulder falls forward, compressing the nerves in the neck and down the arm.

I put this to the test and bought a posture brace that pulls the shoulder back and sure enough it helps. It was absolute agony at first - the worst pain I have ever felt. And the shoulder still can't hold itself up, and after 5 years of exercise I doubt it ever will.

Still going to go for Botox so I get the clearance without the brace. Apparently it can be bad to wear it every day (even though I never want to take it off again!). The Botox should allow me to hit it pretty hard at the gym and try to correct the posture.

Ive seen 3 different physios and 3 orthopaedic surgeons, and a TOS specialist. Not one recommended this £40 brace. The TOS has led to problems in every joint in my right side that could have been prevented.