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