Hi, Jo. It does appear that I may have TOS (remember me PMing you and talking about it?)... but RSD has many of the same symptoms, too.

Yes I remember now- sometimes I get so many PMs I forget who sent what..

If I do have TOS than I believe I must have RSD as well. I definately have RSD (and if I am understanding correctly, you can't have TOS in your feet -lol-)... maybe I have TOS that caused RSD.

You might read posts By tshadow - drs say hers has spread essentially to whole body.
Quite a few with TOS have RSD or RSD type sx- they just can't type or be online enough to participate on both forums - I guess it is a matter of where you made your "home forum " first too LOL.

Well, I want to raise this question:
How is TOS treated?
I want to compare how the RSD is treated vs. how the TOS is treated.

Like RSD, TOS can run from mild to extreme.
Mine is mild- so DC, PT, general posture work, stretching, heating pad, electric stim , ergonomics and awareness of arm uses works for me.

But for the extreme conditions - pain meds, musle relaxers, anti depressants, surgery, very cautious phys therapy , hot tubs, warm pools, posture work/awareness, massage.

I guess the main difference is if the shoulders are dropped or hunched or rolled forward or even if the head is tilted or jutted forward - these could be a cause of some of the TOS symptoms.

these postures make the brachial plexus area smaller and thus can pinch or bind the nerves or blood supply that flows thru the collarbone /neck/armpit area.
puffy or pinchy in the armpits could be pec minor compressions
constant tight neck or collarbone pulling up could be SCM or scalenes compressions or spasms
addressing the postural issues is a main tx
some have chronic trps and spasms - so that is a tx focus
and those that have structural anomalies in the neck area or larger than norm bones or ligaments - some will have extra scalene muscle or extra veins.
this is just a quicky overview..

In our TOS forum stickys I've tried to add all the polls , articles and symptoms from the forum threads and a lot of stuff on posture/alternative/ bodywork/triggerpoints/anatomy most of it is titled in sections by topic.
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/showthread.php?t=84

I have an official diagnosis of RSD in both upper limbs, both lower limbs and RSD NOS (for RSD in my face, neck, back)... I have had progression of allodynia to include almost my entire body, as well as a bunch of other RSD symptoms in all areas of my body.

Now, with 4 different Drs. agreeing with the diagnosis and all recording that, I am not sure if I could ask any if I had TOS.

What do you think? Would you ask your Dr. if it was possible? Would most even be willing to consider it?

I guess I would read as much as I could about it and then decide if it is worth asking them {TOS is just as mysterious as RSD}.

Does it matter? If someone agrees that I do have TOS, how will my treatment be any different than I am being treated now?

I am asking seriously, because I discussed the symptoms of TOS, etiology of TOS, etc with my mom and she asked me some of the above questions... like if the treatment is the same, then does it matter about trying to get a Dr. to diagnose TOS as well?

the main thing I can offer - if some of the symptoms are from TOS maybe the posture /bodywork corrections will reduce some of the symptoms???
I just wanted to suggest it - just in case

I'd love your input, since you yourself have TOS.

Anyone around that has TOS and RSD? I'd love to hear from you, too.