Goodbye side sleeping
 

My right side has gotten worse than the left in terms of first rib elevation and supraclavicular edema. This is pretty significant considering that > 90% of my TOS symptoms were on the left side when this all started.

This change has coincided perfectly with my switch to sleeping on my right side. Formerly, I used to sleep exclusively on my left.

So... side sleeping has to go.

I feel your pain, I really miss side sleeping:(

Definitely sucks to hear that.

My symptoms are aggravated when side sleeping but I can't seem to make back sleeping comfortable. My head/neck seem get tired of being in that position after a few minutes. Anyone have tips for making back sleeping more comfortable?

It sort of sucks but on the positive side it's a confirmation/revelation that the compression from side sleeping is a major factor in my TOS, and one that I can hopefully eliminate. Given that I have this condition, it's always good to find something to improve.

Regarding tips, one that I saw somewhere was to start on your side but then twist your shoulders back, using a pillow underneath the far shoulder for support. The idea is that you get some of the comfort of side sleeping while taking that compression off the shoulder that would normally be underneath you were you truly on your side.

I've tried it for brief periods of time and it seems okay. I worry that I could go back to side sleeping easily. I also wonder if having the torso twisted like that for a long period of time would cause any problems.

Btw I just made this decision today. So I've yet to see how well I fair with my attempt. But I'm committed. There is no longer any doubt that side sleeping has to go.

I sleep with my upper body elevated by about 10-15 deg. It causes much less upward movement of the ribs when lying down as the ribs have to work a bit more against gravity.

That's interesting. I may have to try that. Are you just using ordinary pillows to prop yourself up?

I tried tying down my hands for a few years.

Neck pillows tied around my neck are helpful for side sleeping.

Neither of these are very safe though.

I once had a man fashion me a Velcro device to tie my at waist level. He only mAde one device and I was to switch sides every other night. That way in case of fire or something in the middle of the night I wasn't completely helpless.

No - I have a base that can elevate the head and also put another child's matress folded in half under the top half of mine. It gives a much more gradual and consistent rise. I couldn't image trying to do it with pillows, it would be a continual battle to keep them in shape. I also tried a hammock once but wasn't able to sleep on my side, which I usually do.

What do you mean by "base that can elevate the head"? In other words, what kind of "base"?

Are you confident that sleeping elevated has reduced your TOS symptoms? Anyone else try this?

It's been about 12 nights. Getting rid of side sleeping has definitely reduced my symptoms by a worthy degree and I wish I had done this much earlier.

I had tried this before, but didn't have the will power to make it happen. However, when switching from sleeping on my left to sleeping on my right caused right-sided TOS symptoms, that really convinced me it had to be fixed.

The first couple nights were the hardest but it got easier after that. I still make use of that "half and half" position, where my legs are to the side, but I rotate my upper body back. I use an extra pillow under the opposite shoulder so I don't have to rotate the whole way.

I tried this about nine years ago. It helped a some, but then I got a waterbed, and the warmth helped too. My mattress really sucked back then.

Ss is really horrible

What?


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Chroma have you been to Art Ando (CFMT) in Anaheim yet?
I couldn't sleep on my sides for about 3 years but now I can sleep anyway I want with Art's help and another CFMT.

Yeah I saw Art plenty of times. Overall he was good though sometimes a bit rough. As with other practitioners that I saw, I tended to revert. In other words, my muscle spasms simply come back after being fixed.

Side sleeping is the only way I sleep. Sleep on my back for too long and I always wake up in pain. On my Stomach is out of the question.

I've seen a couple of your videos and your shoulders looks compressed inward. I noticed this when you first started posting before you even mentioned you slept on your side.

Plus you can't escape the physics of what side sleeping does to your body. It's hours of the wrong kind of compression for a TOS person.

I wonder if you can find a variation on back sleeping. I've had luck with putting towels or pillows under my shoulder and/or arms. It can be the difference between "pain" and "no pain" for me.

I sleep very comfortable, without pain, on my sides. Why would I want to sleep on my back if I wake up in pain? That makes no sense! It's just your opinion.

Because you have TOS. Because you are adding several hours of compression in the thoracic area every time you side sleep. Those aren't opinions, only the conclusion is.

You may wake up without pain, but I also saw your video regarding the low temp in your hands. And I wasn't waking up in pain from side sleeping either. But I have experienced the positive results of removing the compressive force of hours of side sleeping. Therefore I think you're missing out.

I'm happy it's helping you but it's still your opinion, and your experience. If I can't sleep because of pain, that's not helping me. I'm not missing out on anything. A lot of things that actually are helping me you seem to snub your nose at, so opinions and experiences vary.

Coop has has tos for a very long time....even longer than me... He has also had a bad surgery a ways back. Everyone is different, and he probably has a lot of funky stuff going on inside of him by now, I am certain I do. Tos isn't supposed to affect the lower extremities either, but my hip flexors are so weak my left leg gives in on my sometimes now...since the anterior scalene botox.

Curving/rounding the shoulders is done to compensate for the body not working correctly. Doing so always made me feel more relaxed. I would go to pt to work on this, but I slept on my side after I feel asleep, always, until after my pec minor release, thus undoing any pt to correct this. Now I sleep with neck pillows and heating pads on my back to start and a side sleeping that doesn't curl my shoulders because that feels awkward now that I have had the pec minor release. I usually put a heating pad on my neck when side sleeping to better tolerate it.

Yep, 34 years I've had it so it affects my entire body.

So I sleep through the night comfortably on my side, and many here don't sleep well at all. You say there's a conclusion. Not sleeping, or waking up in pain is best, if it's on your back? Why? The shoulder I sleep on is actually elevated. That makes no sense.

Was there any method you applied to sleep on your back? Its just proving impossible for me to do. All the benefit of a day of careful movement and what not goes right out of the window when I side sleep and I wake up with painful neck and hands.

Early on I had hyper sensitive elbows, so just touching on the mattress was enough to keep me awake.

I padded & wrapped my elbows and that helped me to not sleep on my sides back then.
Some use a pillow or rolled blanket along the sides of their body til they get used to sleeping flat.
A very comfortable pillow & mattress helps a lot.

I did a couple things:

-- Printed "NO SIDE SLEEPING" in huge block letters a couple times and put one in the bedroom and one in the office.

-- Put pillows on each side like Jomar mentioned.

Thanks! So the pillows are basically to prevent you from rolling back onto your sides. Do you find neck position to either side an issue?

A little neck turning seems okay, but not too much to the TOS side. But you could do the same thing if you needed too.

There is also a transition posture you might try. You start on your side, but then twist you upper back to lay flat so your shoulders aren't compressed. I find it hard to maintain though.

I have bilateral TOS. I am sleeping on my non dominant side coz its a tradeoff. Ok, looks like side sleeping has to stop with some concerted effort on my part.

Does anyone wake up w biceps soreness that are side sleepers? When I wake up on rt side mostly I have bicep sore, espec if I take a valium bf bed as this makes me in a coma so I'm on one side too long. Was hoping Pec m surgery would of helped this, but doesn't look like it has. I haven't heard anyone on here complain about biceps pain. I dont think my surgeon knows why I have this sx. Ive had this sx since 2009, and 3 surgeries I thought would of helped! So strange wish someone had answers to why st least!

I've had some bicep pain here and there, though it wasn't my most common or severe complaint. Sounds like nerve compression to me.

Hi Akash, I sleep on my back with a Sofflex overlay on my mattress made by Roho. I use a couple of pillows under my knees underneath the sofflex to stop me from rolling over. It works well for me, sofflex resolves pressure care and circulation issues related to being in one position too long. I also have nerve damage down my back (long thoracic nerve) caused by the TOS and cannot sleep on my back without the sofflex due to nerve pain. I find it well worth the cost. Not sure how much in USA. An occupational therapist helped me to find this solution.
good luck

Booklover

Thanks Booklover!!