HI!

No, I wasnt doing anything really, except monthly visits to the chiropractor for adjustment and massage. Also- I did do physical therapy 3 times a week for about a year. Then I stopped because I didnt really think it was helping much- plus the excersises I learned I could just do myself at home.

I will tell you, I have poor posture. I also think it is probably repetitive stress too, as a dental hygienist. I have cut my hours from 40 hrs in 2005 to 28hrs in 2007 to 20hrs in 2010 to now 8 hours per week! (4 hours on monday, 4 hours on tuesday) Even after the first patient the pain and tightness increases, mostly the muscle that goes from the neck to the shoulder, and the tingling and cold arms begin again. I am ready to retire, and I am only in my thirties, how depressing...lol

Good luck with your vascular specialist- do you know what caused your problems? Until i had the vein thrombosis, I had no idea there was chance of vascular involvement with TOS.
I really appreciate your help and I will check out the links right now.





Did you get your TOS from repetitive stress? Poor posture? Do you know? I feel for you, it's a tough call.



This is a good link, and there are others:



** What they don't tell you is that the scar tissue most often results in worse neurological symptoms. Many people wind up in MORE neurological pain after the surgery. I have consulted with a vascular surgeon who says his success rate is something like 95% -- It seems that almost any surgeon will tell you that you'll be fine, but I have yet to read of someone who had Neurological decompression that came out fine long term.

There are several links on the "success" of surgery, and there are personal accounts of those who have had it. It seems like those who have / got TOS from a cervical rib or a traumatic event (like a car accident) fare better than those who have it from microtrauma (repetitive stress).




From my perspective, without vascular involvement - surgery is a tough sell. When I "read" 70% success rate, I'd be more thinking more like 70% failure rate - based on what I read everywhere.

I feel for you, but if it's any consolation I'm in the same boat. I meet with a vascular specialist again in a week to see how much (if any) vascular involvement I have. And as you've experienced, who knows if that will remain for the future. I could have neurological issues one day, and the next month vascular. Seems to come on out of nowhere.

[B]Were you doing conservative treatment to open up your thoracic triangle regularly BEFORE the vascular issues