Hey Northern girl,

I am so sorry fo the loss of you mom and the added stress and frustration of trying to figure out what is going on.

I have a couple of thoughts for you.

First I have TOS and TMJ and a c5/6. Essentially I am a mess at the neck and shoulders .

One of the first things is the TMJ. MIne was very bad. I would wake up with headaches and pain in my ears and even off balance from all the clenchin I was doing. I went to my ENT and he immediately thought of TMJ and sen me to my dentist who made a custom bottom night guard for me. It has given me significant relief and it was realtively easy fix. NOw when I say fix, the tmj is not fixed but much better managed.

Ok onto the TOS. I know you said the whole arm goes numb up to the elbow but did iut star more with the little finger or the thumb and first finger.

I ask because while I have TOS, I also have this thing called a c 5/6 subluxation or a retrolithesis and sometimes its the TOS that bothers me and sometimes the cervical issue. I know its the cervical issue when the thumb and first finger go numb on me and the TOS when its the litle fingers and the others.

Try to find an ortho or a psine doc that can take a look for you. SOMetimes it takes an EMG, an MRI and x-rays to help determine things. Ask for flexion and extension x-rays so they can see how your cervical spine is moving and if its putting any presusre on the nerves.

And you doc needs to do some reading on TOS...you have plenty of space between the ribs. pppppssssshhhaaaww....how bout between the clavicle and the ist rib. DId he even do some of the tests for TOS where they lift your arms in the air and check your pulse to see if it goes away?

Also ask him for a PT prescription with someone knoweldegable about TOS and cervical issues. Sometimes it helps sometimes not.

It sure sounds like whatever it is that from all the lifting ect (which is how mine happened) that there is pressure or pulling on your cervical nerves or your bracial plexus.

In the meantime here is the link to the TOS forum.

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum24.html

Keep us posted.