Hi All,
For about a year now I've been experiencing the sensation of numbness and tingling on the left side of my middle back, which is confined to a section below my left scapula. I don't have actual numbness when I touch it, just the sensation of numbness, which in itself is annoying. There's no pain or weakness. I get the sensations when I bend over to do things like pick up objects, tie my shoes, and also when I'm lifting my arms in front of me and above my head. The symptoms are pretty much staying the same in severity, but in the last two days have becoming pretty much constant. I had gone mountain climbing over the past weekend and was carrying a 20 pound backpack for 7 hours on Monday. Maybe that aggravated the issue.

I had seen an orthopedic surgeon about 6 months ago and he declined to do anything for me saying that there's prety much nothing you can do when there's a thoracic nerve issue, and that surgery is only for those with extreme and constant pain. So I don't know whether its a bulged disc or just a nerve being pinched via another structure. Not sure if this is related but I've had a nasty habit of cracking my mid and upper back by bending to the left and right while seated or standing up. It feels good to relieve pressure but I'm worried that this isn't normal and that it might be causing the problem. But it's weird that my nerve issues didn't start until after 4 years of doing the cracking. I crack it all day because it feels good, but then the pressure rebuilds. I want to stop this habit.

Does this sound like thoracic outlet syndrome???

Does anyone else have experience with such symptoms? Do you think a chiropractor would help?

Thanks!