Thoracic Outlet Syndrome Thoracic Outlet Syndrome/Brachial Plexopathy. In Memory Of DeAnne Marie.


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Old 01-05-2008, 09:10 PM #1
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Default Signs of TOS

Just a quick question for those of you who have been diagnosed with TOS:

Would you say there are any tell-tale signs of TOS? What I mean by this is, are there any particular signs that every TOS'er gets? And if so, what would they be?

My main complaints are:

-Pain in neck (sometimes shooting, sometimes dull)
-Pain in temple area with also seems to be in the back of the head (Not really shooting, just an "ache" I guess and I've been told the back of the head ache is from my deg. disc disease in my neck)
-Pain in both arms
-Numbness/tingling/shocky type feelings in wrist/hands/fingers/arms
-Pain in chest/armpit area which also is a dull ache at times
-Pain in collarbone (now on both sides, started on left side)
-Pain on back of left arm near elbow (sometimes can be felt without touching the arm, but other times if I just lightly "graze" the skin with my fingers, it HURTS!)
-Same feeling as above on my back (upper left trap area)
-General muscles aches in neck/arms/shoulders/back

I think that covers it all... any classic signs of TOS?
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Old 01-06-2008, 08:46 AM #2
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To my mind, some of the 'classic' symptoms would be:

Numbness in pinkie and ring fingers
extreme tenderness over collarbone(s)
'Heavy' arms
The occipital migraine (usually occurs 12-24hrs AFTER over exertion)
wasting of hand muscles


Surely there are more, but since this dx is so different for each person the sx can vary. I think these are the most basic symptoms.
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Old 01-06-2008, 11:02 AM #3
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We used to have a thread called "Top 5 TOS symptoms" but I can't find it. I tried and tried.

So I'll post my list of symptoms for you, but perhaps someone else can find the Top 5, cuz we were all almost identical in our Top 5, and then for more symptoms, they did go different places. Also, I have a good thread on what the different nerves do, so you can identifiy sort of what is going on with your body. I'll post that too.
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Old 01-06-2008, 11:05 AM #4
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TOP 5 SYMPTOMS – New Symptoms In Bold Italics

1. Constant pain in R forearm, hand, shoulder, side of neck and shoulder blade.
HAND SIZE WENT FROM 8 TO 8 1/2 TO SIZE 11 IN RING SIZE.

2. Feeling of swelling in R arm, especially hand. Feeling of swelling in both hands, forearms, neck, cheeks, ears and ear areas, back of head, shoulders (all of this bilat, less when in bed propped with multiple pillows and more when any physical movement.

3. Tired. Extreme fatigue daily, requiring daily multiple naps, interspersed with nights of inability to sleep due to 8-10 pain, sleep is usually only several hours at most due to pain.

4. Inability to use R hand / arm normally. Right hand trembles, loss of use almost completely after initial exertion. Left hand has some use, but with extended exertion also loss of use.

5. Head aches, especially related to the neck muscles and behind the right eye. Headaches are still daily, disabling, and include several migraines per month, and include pain to the jaw, (bilat), behind the eyes, up the side of the face, and ears.
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Old 01-06-2008, 11:44 AM #5
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Thank you SO MUCH for your replies...

and actually, as of last night, let me add a couple more things to my own symptoms list!

-Right side of face constantly having feeling of tightness
-Ears have feeling of pressure in them/around them
-Left side of face seemed as though the muscles were spasming, when they were done doing their funky little thing, the whole side seemed to hurt. (ie, hurt a little on relaxation, but a lot on smiling, talking, etc.)
-Headaches in Right temple area/behind right eye that seems to stretch down and around the ear (this one has been going on for a while but I believe I have forgotten to mention it.)
-Whole head feels "pressurized" for lack of a better word... or maybe as though the muscles in neck/back of head are in constant spasm? (Feels a little better upon self-massaging)
-As of last night, the pain/aching in my left armpit area is back and in full swing! (this was one of my very first signs)

Ahh, I seem to be getting more and more symptoms and less and less sleep as the days go by... doesn't help that as of right now all I have for pain is Vicodin and I think they are actually having the reverse effect they are supposed to and are keeping me up at night!

Hoping for some progress type news when I see the Pain Management Specialist on Thursday!!
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Old 01-06-2008, 03:09 PM #6
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Okay so I just woke up from a little nap and for maybe the 3rd time I woke with my left pinky and ring finger and that whole side of my left hand being completely numb. I have been sleeping on my back as to not aggravate either side and my arm was laying completely flat. Perhaps my head was too elevated and was cutting off circulation a little?

and I think it was you tshadow who posted about the symptoms also in the legs? I have been feeling the same kind of pain in both my legs/down by ankles here and there for the past week. Not nearly as severe or bothersome or even often, but I do experience that.
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Old 01-06-2008, 09:32 PM #7
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Missa- one of the things that I learned in the last 4-6 mo or so is that holding your shoulders too far BACK puts too much pressure on the Thoracic Outlet. I wonder if that may be part of your problem when you're sleeping. Also.... I thought I only slept on my back, but after my sleep studies, I realized that I sleep on my back 50%, and then left 25% and right 25%.
I wish I had more to offer...
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Old 01-06-2008, 09:55 PM #8
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I think we lost the top 5 thread during the BT crash.

It would be good to make a new one-
Tam I'll make a copy of your post into a new thread and we can add each of our top 5 there.
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Old 01-07-2008, 11:51 PM #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Missa View Post
Okay so I just woke up from a little nap and for maybe the 3rd time I woke with my left pinky and ring finger and that whole side of my left hand being completely numb. I have been sleeping on my back as to not aggravate either side and my arm was laying completely flat. Perhaps my head was too elevated and was cutting off circulation a little?

and I think it was you tshadow who posted about the symptoms also in the legs? I have been feeling the same kind of pain in both my legs/down by ankles here and there for the past week. Not nearly as severe or bothersome or even often, but I do experience that.
The big thing is to stop guessing and really get some of those tests I listesd in my long post going. (Somewhere there is my post, just go on my avatar and hit past posts and you'll see it right away.) The reason we do so many tests is to make sure there not blood clots or other life-threatening illnesses causing all of these symptoms. Waking up like that is very dangerous, in my opinion.
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Old 01-08-2008, 12:14 AM #10
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Well, that is what I am TRYING to do.

I have one more test to rule out my heart and then from there my doc said he'd start looking into muscular/various other things.

I've kind of gone passed him and made an appointment with Pain Management for Thursday. I'm bringing them all the reports I can get my hands on regarding what I've already had done and such so they can have a better of understanding of where I've been and where I want to go from here.

To me, it's really ridiculous how slow doc's go with these things. It's never okay I'll see you in a couple days for this test but rather, okay a couple weeks from now we'll have you come in for this test.... all the while my symptoms are getting worse and more bothersome.

I'm not sure what more I can do besides wait.
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