tingling/buzzing in lower left trap
 

Hello, this has been going on for over a year now as well as sciatic/lower back pain.. I have also been "treated" for a trapped radial nerve in my neck scalenes area.. im not sure if at all any of these are related, but the tingling in the midback increases if i carry something in that arm, also if im sitting without support on my back or leaning forward.. if i pinch that muscle, i also experience pain and have been told/can feel it is in constant spasm..

also not sure if related, on that same side as you go towards my ribcage it gets extremely tender to the touch.. one oddity i noticed is if i rub over that tender point on the left ribcage, i get a corresponding tingling sensation in my left ulnar nerve at the elbow (i had a left ulnar nerve transposition btw 2 years back, which was before i noticed the back tingling though it provided little relief)..

is this a pinched nerve? perhaps in the thoracic region of my back? what kind of imaging would help in finding out? i have had prior mri's on cervical spine (normal) and L shoulder (bursitis) but none of my back lower than cervical spine.. also as far as EMG's go, i have had them for other recent (year or 2 ago) issues but it seemed restricted only to my arms/hands-can these be used for my back as well

here is a rough location i circled of the tingling/buzzing:

http://i195.photobucket.com/albums/z...yson3/trap.png

appreciate it, thanks

Hi,
You might be interested in reading on our Thoracic outlet syndrome forum.
TOS for short, it has some of the same symptoms you mention.. and is not a well known condition, so is often missed or mis-dxed.

more info here-
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread84.html

Is the tingling/buzzing actually in that muscle or could it be the muscles under that one?
the rhomboids are located under that muscle in the same area.

My rhomboids will get sore and weak if I allow my shoulders to roll forward for too much time.
Basically they can get overstretched pretty easily.

Well sounds like it could be a rib at the facet joint in the thoracic region pressing on a nerve

Or it could be a pinched nerve up in the upper brachial plexus like the long thoracic nerve that is pinched and the pain is referred.

i was actually "diagnosed" with bilateral TOS a year back, but i wasn't sure if the tingling in the back was related to that.. i had/still have much of the symptoms but to a lesser extent since my active release chiro helped free up the radial nerve.. tinel's sign is still present bigtime at my ulnar nerve near my elbow as well as if i click over my armpit area i get percussion as well- both bilaterally as well as sometimes the medial at my wrist but to a lesser extent..

as far as the back tingling, it probably is under the muscle like you said.. id think if it was actually my trap i'd feel it higher up as well since its one muscle.. my chiro told me there is a key nerve bundle in that area, and he will always adjust the area and say "well that was the problem", yet literally on the car ride home i still got the tingling..

For something like this, which type of doc should i see? orthopedic specializing in back? neurologist? pain management doc?

appreciate the help, thanks

From personal experience with TOS, shoulder injuries, cervical and thoracic spine issues, I'd suggest a physiatrist (physical rehab medicine). They can perform EMG/NCVs, facet injections, scalene blocks, etc to try to rule in (or out) the source of the problem and refer you to other specialists - pain management, neurosurgeon, vascular surgeon, etc. - for confirmation and/or treatment. Keep in mind, though, you may need to see a few doctors before you find out that is open to really looking into the problem. The doctors may be quick to call it TOS because you've got the history. If you don't agree, seek another opinion.

I never got any tingle/buzzing in the rhomboid area though, that sensation was mainly in my forearm muscles and my wrist and hands at the beginning / acute stages of my rsi/tos injuries.

JO - I get burning and tingling in my rhomboids and traps. Rarely in my hands and forarms and if it does hurt in the forearms and hands its after long period of the pain in my traps and rhomboid area.

For me it looks like I currently have a pinched nerve from teh frozen shoulder I have ad the last two years. The subscapularis nerve is either pinched in the notch in the shoulder or pinched by the acroim bone in my shoulder.