anybody have a suggestion for me? i have a terrible amount of burning above and below my elbows. It seems to follow multiple locations around the arm as opposed to just one pull. it's much worse w/use of my arms and lasts throughout the day and into the night. It's gotten really bad the past few months.

I'm ready to try some new PT but I still haven't found an MD. And when I ask I'm referred to a pain clinic or pain doctor but still haven't found one that recognizes or knows about TOS. A recent MRI showed some new compression on the nerve roots that may also be contributing but it feels more like the TOS. (I do have some levels of degeneration in my neck as well but that problem is a long standing thing that in part led to the TOS.)

I did start the Sharon Butler program again (never made it past week 2 before....that's all my body could handle) and I'm amazed how tight my upper body has become. I'm using meds and a few topicals and avoiding the computer but I'd like to find a way to work the burning sensation out or at least decrease it's severity.

thx,

fern

Can you check out some local PT places and ask them if they have any advanced PTs that you can meet with or have an evaluation with?

I found that some of the more experienced PTs will have a good idea of what Drs might be best. I learned this after the fact.

So if a PT place seems good and has some dr names for you to try, if you need to have a Dr to Rx the PT then try one of the drs, basically to get the PT rx... and go from there.

I found it's better to not call it TOS or thoracic outlet syndrome, they may know it by another name.
Or just call it a chronic problem with { name major symptoms}

maybe call it a chronic upper body musculoskeletal problem

I had lots of tension from spasmed muscles pulling on my elbow and wrist joints, it stemmed from the upper back & neck muscles and trigger points in them too.
my elbow pain was more sore spots where the tendons/muscles attached with lots of puffiness.
the wrist just was very tight and cracked on movement.

Finally with some really good PT and trigger point I did at home and Butlers stuff got rid of most of that tension.
I found my chiro after most of that problem was resolved, but if anything starts to flare up he can usually take care of it if I mention it at the next appt.


I've been noticing much more restrictions in my whole body , like it's just under the skin, most likely fascia restrictions I think.
so I pulled out a beginner yoga cd and did some of that this morning.
I warmed up with Butlers torso twists.

I can do most of the yoga poses, but really do feel pulling/restrictions so i think i need to stick with it. I sure can't bend or flex as far as the people on the cd..

fern, the best thing you can do is nerve glides, learn them and do them just as often as you possibly can. it is just like flossing is for the teeth. get ur therapist to show u, but until then maybe u can use my descriptions below.

i just copied this from another post i did way back:

feet shoulder apart, knees slightly bent.

the waiter - arms at sides, palms face forward. bend both the elbows and the wrist and bring hands up until you are in a position to be holding a waiters tray. (then reverse this and do it again)

tennis elboe - arms straight ahead, make fists with palms down, rotate so palms are up, rotate so palms are down, bring arms down. (bring them back up and start over)

scalene - one arm hangs down. bring other arm up to the side, that hand is a fist pointing down, rotate it (fist) to point (the knuckles) up, bend the wrist up, and tilt the neck away from the up arm. rotate wrist down, lower arm. switch arms.

do all these really slow. dental floss for the nerves.

Jo*mar is sooo gooooooood.

We'll have to make a pact to do something of the morning, Jo*mar. Wanna? I've been slacking There's an Hawiian Yoga instructor on in the early a.m. She's good. more fluid in movement and softer touch. I'll try to find her the next early morning I'm up and about and get the name of her program to pass it on to you.

Just keep trying with the yoga. Next time try to go a little farther. Do what you can; don't worry about what you can't. cat/cow is always good.


well, fern, a few little things that's helped my arms were realizing I needed to keep my arms, hands, neck, scalenes, yea upper body fleece warm. It cuts down on the pain. I just that was why I needed the heating pad and hot showers. Heating pads can cause swelling on a microscopic basis. I've found arm socks in various forms. they work well.

LED and infrared light therapy pads have helped tremendously.

Trigger point therapy - Jo*mar can POINT you to the right link for that if you ask her.

Less irritating your neck and TOS. I had to give up a lot. God takes care of me in spite of my fool self. Lots of travel with my job. I couldn't drive over 45 minutes without problems, so I avoid that even today. I've found work locally that I didn't have before the MVA. I thank God for that. It just happened that way. I give up the joy of the phone. Don't know about you fellow TOSers but holding that receiver up to my ear is a problem, so I don't do that very much. Got a headset on ONE phone. What about all them other phones conviently placed around? oh, well... don't like it; like pain less.

Hair dryer on a stand.

Kinesio taping helped me with ADLs (activities of daily living)

Laser hair removal (for dark hair) so I didn't have to attempt shaving.

Lidoderm 5%. You numb me an I'll move.
(they have flector now -analgesic +anti-inflammatory) might be worth a try.

Celebrex, OTC Tylenols... took way to many... don't want to know the liver results. Had to do what I had to do. Could've been a lot worse. Suggest reevaluation of your pharmacological regimen. What I done for 1 to 2 years changed from time to time.

Water... inhale it like a fish.

Good nutrition. Not asking for much, am I?

do it for the rest of your body too.

ugh... bring other arm up to the side, that hand is a fist pointing down

didn't quite get that.

in the useful sticky thread both posts # 8 {have nerve glides info} & #18 {a mix of articles & video links}
a couple of trigger point sites listed in #1

the scalene one - ur hands are fisted, but if they weren't the positions would be

arm is at side, palm faces hip, slowly raise arm to horizontal out to the side, rotate arm so palm trys to face up, when u have rotated as far as u can, bend the wrist so the fingers go up, then start to slowly lean head to opposite shoulder, bring head back up, and reverse everything u just did till the arm is down facing hip. switch arms. 10 reps ea side.

if u can't get arm all the way up go as high as u can

I can't "do" anything but occasionally walk, soo,

for another possible help,

Lidocain patches (if you have insurance or medicare) are really good for that burning elbow or the knots we get.

Jo, thank you so very much for posting the sticky pages for the nerve glides.
and Tied, thank you for writing out yours; i am doing them and they are helping.

but i'm having trouble finding the nerve glide pages posted on the stickies.
http://www.handhealthresources.com/S.../Exercises.htm
http://www.kineticconditioning.net/Carpal.htm

perhaps the links aren't current. Jo, or if anyone using them knows how to find the current pages pls post the current links. I may be missing them right in front of me but through the pain fog just not seeing them. thx

I found one of the links--by searching. for some reason the copy /paste link didn't work. it looks the same but it's not. maybe it can be updated on the stickies.
http://www.handhealthresources.com/S.../Exercises.htm


the ones w/o the pix are kind of hard to understand. are nerve glides something a PT teaches?