Hi there,

I have been viewing this message board for a while now and I have noticed that some very knowledge individuals post here. I know it is somewhat selfish, but I would like to describe my situation to see if anyone here has some input for me.
I first started experiencing discomfort in January of 2010. At first, it was a feeling of pain and tightness in the left side of my chest, accompanied by pain in my left arm. The pain was not consistent, but rather seemed to come and go. In the following months I saw doctors to investigate the source of the pain, at first I was concerned that the pain was related to my heart.
After ruling out my heart as the cause of the pain, I was told that it was just pain in my chest wall and it would likely go away within a couple of months.
The pain persisted, and over the summer I noticed a feeling of tingling and numbness in the ring and pinky fingers of my left hand. I also noticed that my left shoulder and upper back would be sore at times, and my neck felt tight as well.
I began a six month internship abroad at the end of August, and before leaving I consulted a doctor at a walk in clinic. After describing my situation, the doctor noticed my posture and said it likely had something to do with my back and I should likely see a physiotherapist. I did not have time to do so and left the country.
My new job involved a lot of office work and consequently I began spending even more time in front of a computer (I was previously a student). I noticed that the pain seemed to worsen.
I managed to make it back to Canada for a week in December and I scheduled an appointment with a physiotherapist. The physiotherapist confirmed that my pain was indeed related to my posture, she noted that I had excessive kyphosis, tight pectoral muscles and a forward head posture. She did not perform any tests to officially diagnose me, but she noted that I had a lot of the signs and symptoms of Thoracic Outlet Syndrome. She gave me some stretches and exercises to perform. I have been doing them regularly since and I have noticed some improvement, but the pain is still an issue.
Now I have a question regarding severity. From browsing around on this forum I have noticed that the majority of the posters have much more severe and debilitating symptoms than myself. I still manage to function quite well, although I find myself taking advil probably every third day to ease the pain. A month from now I will be finished my internship and back in Canada where I have access to doctors and physiotherapists (I am currently living on a very remote island). When I get back to Canada I will have a month off (during which I plan to spend as little time in front of a computer as possible).
My current plan is to begin regular physiotherapy and potentially see an acupuncturist or massage therapist. I am very determined to improve my condition.
If anyone could please provide some input/advice about the severity of my case and what course of action to take it would be very appreciated.

Thank you.