The TOS Smile
 

Whose smile is crooked? If you don't know, go look in a mirror and smile. Every TOSer I have met has a whacked smile, yet Doctors never discuss this symptom. Let's see if we can educate them!

I have a crooked bite and TMJ/TMD and definitely figure it's a piece of my TOS puzzle. So count me in.

tos and smile in the same sentence :confused:

Are your eyes, hips, shoulders, ears uneven too?

might be a misaligned c1/c2... upper cervical spine adjustments might be worth looking into.

www.upcspine.com
some of these really fit-
http://www.upcspine.com/respond.htm
http://www.upcspine.com/self.htm

Re: upcspine region issues.

I had a VERY strange experience 2 days ago!!!!!
I've been suffering ongoing Pulsatile tinnitus since my first rib excision op ( almost 8 weeks ago now). Recently my neck C0-C1 region???? has made some EXTREMELY loud cracks, on x5 occasions..... so loud that they have been heard by others some 20 feet away from me! Well anyway,this happened again to me the other day and for some reason the pulsing in my left ear seems to have stopped??????? My hearing is still slightly muffled and certain tones/sounds are uncomfortable BUT no constant pulse.:)
I now suspect that maybe I had a tight ligament/tendon crossed over that was pressing on my veins? My neck also feels SO much more free.
This region really does contribute to big probs..... why don't doctors see this??
Thanks Jo*mar for the links.
Interesting....... as I have a real issue also with my right gluteus medius muscle ( its out of wrack and looks swollen compared to the other side) and ongoing lower back pain!
SD38:hug:

Interesting obervations Anne, I dont smile so cant tell, but I have noted this on many occasions with other tos people.

I knew I should have kept my mouth shut about the pulsatile tinnitus!!!!!!!!
It bloody returned last night about 3 hours after I sent the above post!:mad:
Anyway seeing the hospital registrars today for my post op follow up..... it seems like I have been waiting forever for this day to come.
I certainly have a LOT to discuss with them about ongoing symptoms and issues with my left side.
WATCH THIS SPACE.
SD38

Jay: Cheers up! :)

I think it has a lot to do with C1, but the problem I experience is that any adjustment made does not last long. The tight muscles pull it right back out and I'm back to square one. When C1 is in place, I feel relief to the sides of my neck and face immediately. Too much touching of the area will make me feel nauseas, disoriented, neuro and the sides of my neck will be extremely TENDER.

I guess my confusion in making a decision about continuing with a Chiro is - Do you keep putting C1 in, even if it keeps popping out and the symptoms I get with someone touching my C-spine seem to exacerbate everything else?

Yes! I have developed a crooked smile also! It's droopy on the left side. I just had a tooth repaired on that same side, so I should soon know if it's tooth-related or not.

My whole body is asymetrical. The left side is smaller/less developed than the right. And I have the tinnitis also! Much worse when my pulse rate is up. I think it's related to the swelling in my neck from TOS and spondyolosis.

Sometimes I try to remember what feeling pain-free/symptomless feels like. It makes me depressed.

I can 2nd that. It's pretty tough at times to keep spirits up.

I had my post op follow up with surgeon today which made me quite disheartened and I felt it was a waste of my time actually. I came out feeling as though I was being a pain to him! Just because I wasn't all smily and full of good news of what a fantastic job he had done on me. I think he wasn't impressed when I complained about the new symptom ( pulsatile tinnitus) that I'm suffering with since the op. I have also been told today that my 2nd op for left side VTOS could be as soon as December. I'm gonna have to mentally prep myself for that one as I'm well aware that the aftercare given post op is NIL!!!!!! Back to meditation and calm thoughts I think.:winky:
I will get through this. POSITIVE,POSITIVE,POSITIVE!!!!!
Best wishes everyone:grouphug: KEEP STRONG:winky:
SD38

I'm sorry SD, seems like many surgeons are like that....

Did I mention the word bruit to you?
That's what my chiro called the sound when I described it to him, none of my other docs or PTs would put name to i when I asked about that sound...:(

I just posted a link to a page that has recordings of bruits..
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/post817020-5.html

Does your chiro treat the tight or spasmed muscles too? It was so nice that mine did the other modalities a long with adjusting..
Otherwise you have to go to chiro & some sort of PT place for ultrasound, and any other massage or TrP tx.
It is an endless circle if both are not treated - the muscles pull the c1/c2 out & it can be put back , but if the muscles are still tight out it goes again...
Not sure if you tried any trigger point tx also- TrPs have to be resolved first before a muscle will fully release. Another circle...

Hi Jo*mar
thanks for the link.
When I mentioned the Pulsing to my surgeon and asked if the surgery could have triggered it he said, its possible....... and that was it! AAAAAHHHHHHH
FRUSTRATION is a word that comes to mind.
I'm now thinking, lets just get this 2nd op out the way quick to see if it also helps with the pulsatile tinnitus. Damn, now I'm grabbing at straws to try and get some improvements.
Deep down I'm telling myself - Don't panic, you're just aware of the pulsing because of the change in blood flow due to the op on the other side BUT then another part of me thinks..... Is this something serious, why can I hear it this loud???? I used to like peace and quiet to relax with, now all I can hear is this constant pulsing hum:eek:. Quietness is NOT so peaceful!!!!!!
I've mentioned this prob with both the vascular surgeon and my GP and both are blaise about it:mad:.
I hope all is well, to me ( in my head) its sounds regular, no whistling just a constant low pulsing humming. Is this normal because of the new stronger bloodflow????? I guess I'll never know as my healthcare providers......I use that term loosely, are not bothering to consider it.
Hey, its just my sanity they are dealing with....right?
Anyway back to another session of self mental strengthening, as I think to myself that the sounds in my ears are just waves crashing against golden sands.
WHATEVER HELPS I GUESS.:rolleyes:
Many thanks for your input as always Jo*mar, bless you:winky:
Best wishes to all:grouphug:
SD38

Thanks for the info.
I've sent a reply post but for some reason I think that it has accidently gone through to the other forum ( head trauma/post concussion )?
:Oops:

I brought it back to this thread for you.

Pretty new here but this thread stuck out at me - I have TOS and I definitely have a crooked smile. I started noticing it in pictures a few years ago, and was diagnosed with TOS early this year (in 2011).

Also, when I smile one eye is more open than the other. And when standing, my right shoulder is about two inches lower than my left (TOS is on right side). I also have trouble with my right knee, of all things. I am decidedly crooked.

Pretty interesting (in a frustrating sort of way).

Interesting..... I also notice a difference in my eyes too. Sometimes I look at the imbalance and think have I experienced a minor stroke and not been aware it happened???
One side looks definately more relaxed than the other.

Yeah my TOS side is the side with the depressed shoulder. My ear on that side also sits lower than the other side. When I put sunglasses on, they are crooked. :(

Yeah me too.
I make sure that I get ones with arms that can be flexed. If I bend one side up slightly on the glasses it gives the illusion that they are on straight and counteracts the unbalanced look.:o