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Magnate
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Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,871
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Magnate
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,871
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The road
Took years to get a proper diagx for my daughter although I suspect the fisrt w/c doc instinctivly knew what was going on. Also, you may have a body predisposed to TOs for varying reasons, a time bomb waiting for full flare, such as a car accident or fall.....
For one thing there are no "Test" to say yopu have or do not have TOS. Ruling out a lot of other things is part of the road traveled. Now, an EMG/NVC test is not going to be absolutly going to say TOS or not. Not until there is nerve damage to the larger affected nerves will it show on an EMG. That is because the larger nerves are tested that make the muscles move. TOS affects the sensory nerves which are the first affected. Now that you have had symptoms for ten years you may have some symptoms that will show on the nerve test, if it is done and read properly.
For ex. You have a candle and the flame is hot, you brain tells your arm to pull back, the larger nerves...But, if you touch the flame and it burns you, it is red, inflamed HURTS, these are the sensory nerves. They are too small to test.
But, a doctor that treat TOS, not suggest you may have it can just about look at a patient and SEE they have TOS. The posture, flare of the neck, hump shoulders, protective of the arms, cradle,
They do test and have you raise your arms, turn your head, use picks, brushes , a good TOS doctor will spend about two hours taking a detailed history and reproducing, or if they don't reproduce to determine if TOS or brachial plaxapathy compression.
A big one is raising the arms up, like your are being robbed....bring them back wards, that you feel it in the center of your back to reproduce the compression inciting menuvor. Do you have problems with blowdrying your hair, talking on the phone, driving? These are similar positions that incite TOS.
A chest xray can show cervical ribs, or small rib cage or misshappen rib cage or larger collar bone, all that can compress.
If you were my relative, I would check the doctors list or post nearby cities to where you live for a doctor that can diagx TOS, understand its dynamics and NOT guess.
TOS can have all degrees of affects. Some people function, some have more nerv damage. Much of how you accomdated flares, take care of yourself may be an instictive thing to keep TOS just an aggrivation and problem, then disabling life altering disability.
Finding this "Knowledgable" supportive doctor is going to help keep your symptoms down and help you udnerstand TOS. A doctor himself that does not truely understand the dynamics, can steer you wrong.
I really do not feel that you are going to get a quality diagx one way or the other with this doctor, but that is typically. It is a diagx most doctor never see in their career, let alone treat.
TOS mimics far too many other syndromes, and can also be along with many other syndromes.
Dianne
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Pocono area, PA
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Last edited by DiMarie; 12-27-2006 at 09:48 PM.
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