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Originally Posted by piratemet
Hi Everyone! I've been reading through the posts for a few months and felt it was time to introduce myself. I've had worsening, progressive left arm, neck and back pain for about 4 years with left arm numbness and tingling down the lateral arm into my 4 and 5th fingers.
I was shuffled around to orthopedic docs who immediately wanted to do a diskectomy due to herniation at C5-C6 and C6-C7. At the time I was a 27 year old mother to a 2 year old and infant and was completing my phd so I said no way! I was able to manage the pain with intermittent steroid tapers and ibuprofen. It has gotten worse and worse through the years and I've had physical therapy and epidural injections for what I thought was disc issue.
However, I've relocated up to PA (have been in NC for the past 8 years) and things really took a turn for the worse with the numbness waking me up from sleeping (which I don't do so well anyway), not being able to hold a brush to do my hair (I'm also left handed) and not being able to hold my kiddos. Same old story, my new primary care doc sent me for an MRI and to an ortho. Same MRI results and ortho sent me for pt. This is where everything changed. On the initial eval the pt said immediately, I don't think this is disc related, I think you have TOS and he said I'm a poster child for pec minor syndrome.
He started treating me with nerve glides, ART, etc and there was improvement at times but not a whole lot. Sent me back to the doc who sent me for an EMG which was negative. Back to the doc for a follow up and he reiterated the need for diskectomy. Then he decided to do the Adson's test and it was positive. So I went to the vascular today and she was WONDERFUL! She specializes in TOS and was very realistic with me, took her time and it was refreshing to see someone who understood and didn't make feel crazy when I started crying in her office.
So...next steps, x-ray to look for the cervical ribs, pain management, more pt, no more training for my half marathons and triathlons 
I'd like to thank you all for all of your posts, it's so nice to find people who understand and reading them over the past few months has really made a difference!
Also, if anyone knows any physical therapists in the southeast PA, Delaware area that have particular experience with TOS I'd love to hear about it! |
Hello, my symptoms started heavy in April 2011 and I know what you mean when you say you found a doctor that was understanding. A few times I had doctors look at me like I was crazy. I had one doctor tell me it was coming from my cervical spine and that I should not see any other doctors. I refused to listen and made appointments with other doctors. When I went to vascular medicine the doctor was very understanding and found the arterial compression right away. She ordered an ultrasound right then and said I was going to need surgery. She sent me to surgeon who had me do 8 weeks therapy. The therapy help my right side but did nothing for left side. I had surgery in Sept. and still have issues. I was a very active person being a police officer and playing golf 3x a week. This has put my life on hold, still have not been able to go back to work. The only positive is that I spent more time with my wife and two teenage children. I wish you the best of luck with your healing.