Cracked Rib?
 

I went to my acupuncturist on Wednesday and he is usually the person I go to who I know that I will feel better afterwards,even if its just for a day or so but he was pressing on my upperback (he does massage sometimes afterwards) and I heard it crack. He said it was my Thoracic spine and i need it adjusted, but it hurt right afterwards and it still hurts. It is a diffterent kind of pain than my TOS pain as it hurts when I move,breathe or cough. Its a sharp pain in my scalpula.it could be my rhomboid but It feels like he cracked a rib!! Ironically my regular TOS pain is gone at the moment. I am going back to see him tomorrow but I told him just to do acupuncture. I am hoping it is just temporary, but it is the same spot that I originally injured in yoga that started this whole mess. I see my doc on Tuesday for more injections so I am going to ask her for an x-ray-Ive never had my ribs or upper back x-rayed, just my neck and the bp mri.

I have read that a cracked rib can mimic TOS symptoms.Anybody have any thoughts?

A cracked rib can present similar symptoms to TOS, and definitely similar to what you are describing, particularly the pain with every breath. I think you're right to request the x-ray.

If it is still bothering is there urgent care nearby?
They usually have x ray machine on site.

Was he pushing quite firmly?
Are you hyper mobile?
You don't have osteoporosis do you?

Just trying to help figure it out..

yes thats a good idea-I might do that. He wasnt pushing that hard. I do have osteopenia which is a precurser to osteoporosis. Not hypermobile, but think that is where my initial injury was. The acupunturist thinks it is a popped vertebre that needs to be popped back in. Wont let him do that but did let him do mor acupuncture today which helps with the pain.

manually fx a rib in this way would be unlikey. but get the xray, if you do have a misalighment, that will show up.

Interesting article
 

http://news.wustl.edu/news/Pages/23439.aspx

This refers to venous TOS but I wonder if it can also contribute to Neurogenic TOS. I have always thought my problems started with a rib problem in my scalpula area. Now I have it again but worse. Its also Interesting that Dr. Thompson says he takes out the WHOLE RIB and is one of the only Dr.s that do that with 2 incisions. I may be asking for an MRI as they cant be seen in x-rays or ct scans.

Interesting! Both of my 1st ribs were abnormal and the ribs were abnormal in the vicinity of the brachial plexus. Every doctor that asked about the 1st rib surgery since the 1st one was removed 8 years ago has commented that I must have broken my 1st rib at some point to have developed the type of growth I had on the rib. It was definitely nTOS on that side (positive EMG/NCV, muscle atrophy, clawing of the hand, etc.). I had minimal vascular involvement on this side.

Hey JKl sorry to hear about your potentially cracked rib. Have you scheduled your MRI? I think in terms of taking out the whole rib, it is probably best to find a Dr who can do that but keep in mind that you may not even need the rib to be taken out. My surgeons thought they would definitely need to take my cervical rib and probably my first rib as well and ended up leaving both since they said neither were compressing my thoracic outlet or "the cervical rib was nowhere near your brachial plexus" is what I was told. But I do have an elevated rib and since I am not improving yet I do wonder if they should have taken it/them. But then again I went to two of the top as you know, so I try not to question their judgment. I am saying all this because I remember you initially just wanted a scalenectomy. Anyway, keep us posted on how everything goes!

Progress
 

I saw Dr. Ando(pt) yesterday who mobilized my ribs and my chiro today who adjusted my thoracic spine, then this afternoon went to my TOS Dr. Aufiero who gave me Trigger pt injections and am starting to feel a little relief. It feels like I have a sharp knife in my scalpula and hurts when I move or breathe.

I have a prescription for an x-ray so I will schedule that tomorrow to rule out any fractured ribs. I go back to the chiro on Friday and back to Ando on Monday.The amazing thing is that right now my TOS symptoms are gone. Wouldnt that be amazing if it lasted??. I am just happy that I had appts previously scheduled with the chiro and Dr. Aufiero and Dr Ando fit me in on the same day!

Parbie, I e-mailed my friend but havent heard back from her yet, but hopefully the pt you found is helpng you! If I get any info I will send it to you. Also, I was interested in scalenctomy only but through PT I have realized the problems are mor my ribs, but not just the first Rib, it seems like my lower ribs press into my pec minor and teres muscles. How is your pec minor doing since the tenomoty?

Hope you are still feeling that relief from the injections! The pt I found is def much better than the previous I will post about my progress with her on my thread. Only issue is I am getting more symptomatic on my left side and am really trying to avoid left side surgery but regardless I am waiting a while before I make that decision. My pec minor is still tight and painful but I think my left is tighter so I guess that's a good sign? I was having sharp pains and a squeezing feeling as well on my right side but that stopped when I stopped doing a pec minor stretch that my previous therapist in TO told me to do. Now some ice, self massage with a soft ball, and lipoderm gel are helping a bit with the pain. In my case, I guess it's still too early to tell how much the tenetomy helped.