I recently posted about possibly having TOS, but the Dr. said it wasn't. Now this past week the symptoms have subsided, as well as extreme arm weakness which has been there since Nov. The big flare in Dec. The only thing the mri said was minimal bulge of C6-7 disk with a tiny annular fissure without any left lateralizing abrormalities identified. Any know what this means? I need a new Doc. I picked the reports up myself and he didn't explain it at all. Just gave me more tramadol and an rx for pt. MRA with contrast said Normal study. Mri did say the study was not performed as a didicated brachial plexus study. Is this signifigant?

At least it's better but is it a disk or Tos problem?

quote-
[The only thing the mri said was minimal bulge of C6-7 disk with a tiny annular fissure without any left lateralizing abrormalities identified. Any know what this means?]

hmm -you might want to post the Mri & C6/7 questions on the spinal forum - they might have more details/info about those.

spinal disorders
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forumdisplay.php?f=22
spinal injury
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forumdisplay.php?f=43

is yours a work comp case or pvt medical coverage?

I actually learned more from some of the better PTs { and my chiropractor} than the drs I went to- but your doc should have explained some of it to you.
Generally a regular MRI usually won't show TOS unless you have bony anomalies or extra cervical rib.

But be very careful in PT if they ask you to do any thing that you know will make you hurt worse - speak up!

do you get delayed pain- like hours or a day after you do an activity you will hurt worse then?

I had the best luck with the more advanced PTs - and they didn't ask me to do any strengthening until my pain was way down first {1-2}.

a typical session-
first was heat 15 min, then ultrasound, then massage -they also did a combined stretching with the massage at times.

then we did some bio feedback to learn how to totally relax some of the muscles that were not relaxing normally as they should have been.

when my pain was very low we did isometrics { muscle tightening/release} and as I tolerated that well we moved on to very lt weights -only 5 reps to test how I would feel after and then on from there only if no pain increased.

then i got Sharon Butlers TOS program {on stretching and awareness} and a lot of books and videos on posture and bodywork.

I read all the links in our sticky list - plus found many more and added them to the list.

all of that helped but I really got he best help from a really good chiropractor- i had some c spine issues too but no tears or bulges - plus my hips and shoulders are tilted too- so he covers it all.
Plus he does the ultrasound, low level laser, interferential stim, and triggerpoint pressure massage techniques.

whew I feel like I wrote a book-LOL

I'd take your Mri to another doc {ask around and find out who is very good in your area} some of the PT places might have some names for you I found out too late that they know who refers for what conditions.

it wouldn't hurt to just get an eval with a good chiro- you can tell them you don't want any adjustment at this time- just the evaluation.

Oh docs and PTs and DC can do a series of tests to determine if the sx are based in the c spine vs elsewhere.
this site might help with terms and info-
http://www.spine-health.com/topics/c...ce/diff01.html

gosh i forgot to answer your title question -- YES !

Yes for sure TOS can cause flares and pain issues when you feel stable or somewhat good. All it takes for me could be one bad day doing too much cleaning or doing ironing always brings on flares. I have had remissions as well. My recent vacation in mexico caused remission......a week...maybe it was the tequila....who knows. So to answer your question it differs for all people but I think you will find most of us flare up and go into remission......

hope this helps
take care
hugs,
Victoria:icon_wink:

lailavia
One problem with diagx tos is that you do not have a diagx test that is subjective. Not like an xray that shows a broken arm. MRI can show bulge or herniations, but you can have tos too, that is not diagx on a normal MRI.

When I had my injury the doctor stated right up front he wanted a emg on the low back from the symptoms as all people over 20's have some bulging in the spine. So that concludes nothing. Go with the symptoms as wxplained by me that were nerve related.

The emg on the lumbar did show the problem in L4/5, the inconclusive bulge of L4/5 would have said nothing alone.Would have been determined Degernerative and said nothng.

Now I also have Cervical herniations on the left side,C4/5/6/7 and bulges too, C3, but TOS symptoms from start were mainly right sided. That was how my diagx was determined what was cervical spine and what was Brachail plexus/tos.

I focus on the symptoms that bothers me worse on a daily and overall way. But, then I can daily take a med to help, but overall, tke trigger points or ESi, massages for long term. My hot tub is the best thing ever.
I only think I wish it was a regular tub with jets, as less maintaince.
Di

Hi,
the others already wrote everything essential - but from my own story I can tell you, that we needed some time to find it out. I have arterial TOS and the artery is squeezed when my shoulder blades go together (fi when I am in a very right and good posture) - "normally" the tos testing consits in holding up the arm, but this was without a result.

I remember that in the beginning I went from one doctor to the other and I had to hear a lot of stupid answers and I was often down. But I knew, there was something wrong and I didn`t imagine the pain and the weakness. The members of this forum gave me a lot of energy to continue my way. Now I have found a vascular surgeon who is a good and competent doctor and a therapist who understands a lot about TOS, too.

Even it is a long walk through the medical jungle - don`t give up, go your way!!! TOS has many faces and in combination with other problems (cervical, shoulder,....)a case is not exacly as an other.

I wish you all the best!
Barbara

Hi all..
Like Edilweiss said everyone has the same thing I do.. I had a flare up last week that I couldn't drive very well , my right shoulder/collarbone area was like someone was sitting on it.. I am starting to recognise the flare ups ... and the pain..

This site is a God send !!!

Thank you all so very very much. I am about to go for a physical so I hope my doctor can steer me in a better direction. I will update later.


Laila

ok well i went to the doc for physical, with a whole folder of notes,etc. Mind you she is a good doctor, caring, listens, etc. She actually gave me referrals for my I think dry eye that I think could possibly be linked to Sjogerens oh i spelled wrong. So referral for new rheumy and eye doc. And she is sending me to John Hopkins for a neuro consult! Re: my migraines, morning shakes which I posted about earlier somewhere, and I guess I can bring up the TOS symptoms eventually. She said I did not have it or it would have shown on MRI. Well she actually did admit that primary care docs don't know everyhing, I suggested that I thought I may have adrenal fatigue and she said she didn't even know what it was! all the sx match cfs and fibro which I am supposed to have as well as some of the Sjogerens thing. I don't even have trigger or tender points. so I did make some progress! She said not to overwhelm the neuro up there, just give them one symptom at a time. She did not even think I needed to get an ortho opinion on my spine. Sigh. She is so good, yet sometimes misses big things. She has helped me find good doctors and answeres for alot of stuff no one else even tried. She spent an entire hour at least, and then at the end saddened me by saying she thought I was very anxious about my health! Well yea as my sx have ruined my life as I know it, and I was very organized with notes and questions. Also didn't know what a fama thyroid test was! Well I am happpy to at least gotten referalls and I can keep checking off things I don't have. My potassium was alittle high from last month....5.7. It is usually 4.4 or close. She is repeating that. Off to bed I go!

well at least you are getting somewhere..

have you ever done one of those body pain maps?

where there is a front and back of a body - then you circle or place an arrow or put an X on the sore places then describe if it is achy, numb, stinging, burning etc?

One of those might be a big help for neuro- or any doctor.
here's some -
https://www.ans-medical.com/patient/...ntyourpain.cfm
http://www2.rpa.net/~lrandall/fmslog.html

this shows a sample and how a dr/therapist would use it-
http://www.acay.com.au/~mkrause/clinical_Lucy.htm
this has some varied PT/bodywork info and is kind of different - but has some good stuff
http://www.back-in-business-physioth...elsyndrome.htm
http://www.acay.com.au/~mkrause/radicular.htm

desk ergonomics-
http://www.acay.com.au/~mkrause/work...ergonomics.htm

Thanks for all the sites and ideas. I have yet to have time to go thru it all. Always a crisis with my oldest daughter, always always, always. No time for me. Yet she says we don't love her. Whoops thats for another place. Sorry. I did find out there are 120 neurologists at Johns HOpkins and they are to coordinate me with one who specialized with my sx. There is even a Marc train to get there from where I live in MD. and my dearest hubs said he would go with me. It is a huge huge hospital. Maybe I will really get some help!