[loopey2u]

Hi, everybody. This is long, so I will apologize in advance..

I have been in pain since April, and no diagnosis has been made yet. Needless to say it is very frustrating.

Last November my right hand went numb. I had no pain in the hand, and was hoping that it was something that would eventually go away on its own. Around March, I started getting right side headaches daily, and my shoulder and neck started hurting. Not bad, it was tolerable and I was still working at my waitress job up until April.

In the beginning of April, I woke up with excruciating pain in the neck and shoulder, that radiated down through the arm to the elbow and into the hand. I also had "clawing" of the right hand. I couldn't pick up anything even as heavy as a coffee pot without weakness and pain.

I saw my PCP, and he diagnosed me with a sprained neck, but ordered a cervical MRI to rule out anything else.

Had the MRI done, which showed 4 slightly bulging discs (c2-c6) and a large bone spur on the left side near c5-c6.

I was still in a LOT of pain at that point so I went to my GP again, and he did a nerve test in the office that showed mild carpal tunnel on both sides and an ulnar nerve issue on the right side. He gave me a script of Vicoden, told me to try physical therapy and sent me on my way.

I went for PT, and it seemed to aggravate the symptoms, so I then went to a neck doctor for an evaluation. He did a physical exam and diagnosed me with frozen shoulder, gave me a cortizone shot and another script. I was fine for a few months until the shot wore off and then I was back right where I started, minus the claw hand. That seemed to have resolved on its own.

I then went to a shoulder doctor, who looked at my MRI and did a physical exam and told me it was my neck and not the shoulder.....OK.......

I am now seeing an orthopedic doctor that specializes in necks. He ordered an EMG which was clear, and sent me for an MRI on my shoulder. The MRI on the shoulder showed very slight bursitis with tendonitis in 2 tendons. He advised physical therapy after I received a shot in the shoulder.

The symptoms seemed to have calmed down considerably, until I started physical therapy again. I don't know if it was the Ultram, the shot or the combo of both. I have been taking Ultram for pain, and it works quite well. I had the pain down from a 6-7 to a 2 with the Ultram and rest, now it's back up to about a 5.5 after starting physical therapy.

I am very concerned about continuing the physical therapy because it feels to be doing more harm than good.

My pain starts in the neck, travels to the collarbone, then to the notch in the shoulder, down to the notch near the armpit, to the elbow and then to the pinky and ring finger. Every morning I wake up and my right hand is ice cold. I have daily right side headaches with tinnitus (whoosh/whoose sound in both ears). The pain is constant and doesn't go away until I rest.

Could this be TOS?? I am thinking of switching doctors or going to see a pain management doctor since nobody can figure out what this is. It is affecting my quality of life and really messing with me emotionally as I was a very active person and now I am not for fear of stirring this thing up.

Thanks for reading, any advice is greatly appreciated.

[Jomar]

Did any of the Drs think the c spine issues (4 slightly bulging discs (c2-c6) and a large bone spur on the left side near c5-c6) were "bad" enough to be causing you symptoms?

Is PT having you use hand bikes and/or stretchy bands or other strengthening - before pain & sx are resolved?

And are you having delayed pain - hours after the PT and not right at the time of use? PT has to know and understand this - if not and they don't ask you about it then adjust the tx plan - they're not experienced enough to do successful TOS type treatment.

You need expert & knowledgeable PT people.
Possible an expert chiropractor also if any previous head/shoulder hits/ falls/whiplash.

any mention of triggerpoints?
any hands on massage or manual work?

look thru our sticky threads & other messages here for much more info.

[SD38]

Originally Posted by loopey2u

Hi, everybody. This is long, so I will apologize in advance..

I have been in pain since April, and no diagnosis has been made yet. Needless to say it is very frustrating.

Last November my right hand went numb. I had no pain in the hand, and was hoping that it was something that would eventually go away on its own. Around March, I started getting right side headaches daily, and my shoulder and neck started hurting. Not bad, it was tolerable and I was still working at my waitress job up until April.

In the beginning of April, I woke up with excruciating pain in the neck and shoulder, that radiated down through the arm to the elbow and into the hand. I also had "clawing" of the right hand. I couldn't pick up anything even as heavy as a coffee pot without weakness and pain.

I saw my PCP, and he diagnosed me with a sprained neck, but ordered a cervical MRI to rule out anything else.

Had the MRI done, which showed 4 slightly bulging discs (c2-c6) and a large bone spur on the left side near c5-c6.

I was still in a LOT of pain at that point so I went to my GP again, and he did a nerve test in the office that showed mild carpal tunnel on both sides and an ulnar nerve issue on the right side. He gave me a script of Vicoden, told me to try physical therapy and sent me on my way.

I went for PT, and it seemed to aggravate the symptoms, so I then went to a neck doctor for an evaluation. He did a physical exam and diagnosed me with frozen shoulder, gave me a cortizone shot and another script. I was fine for a few months until the shot wore off and then I was back right where I started, minus the claw hand. That seemed to have resolved on its own.

I then went to a shoulder doctor, who looked at my MRI and did a physical exam and told me it was my neck and not the shoulder.....OK.......

I am now seeing an orthopedic doctor that specializes in necks. He ordered an EMG which was clear, and sent me for an MRI on my shoulder. The MRI on the shoulder showed very slight bursitis with tendonitis in 2 tendons. He advised physical therapy after I received a shot in the shoulder.

The symptoms seemed to have calmed down considerably, until I started physical therapy again. I don't know if it was the Ultram, the shot or the combo of both. I have been taking Ultram for pain, and it works quite well. I had the pain down from a 6-7 to a 2 with the Ultram and rest, now it's back up to about a 5.5 after starting physical therapy.

I am very concerned about continuing the physical therapy because it feels to be doing more harm than good.

My pain starts in the neck, travels to the collarbone, then to the notch in the shoulder, down to the notch near the armpit, to the elbow and then to the pinky and ring finger. Every morning I wake up and my right hand is ice cold. I have daily right side headaches with tinnitus (whoosh/whoose sound in both ears). The pain is constant and doesn't go away until I rest.

Could this be TOS?? I am thinking of switching doctors or going to see a pain management doctor since nobody can figure out what this is. It is affecting my quality of life and really messing with me emotionally as I was a very active person and now I am not for fear of stirring this thing up.

Thanks for reading, any advice is greatly appreciated.

Hi Loopey2u,
much that you have mentioned are TOS symptoms ( very similar to myself, but I have c3 c4 facet joint sclerosis plus lumbar issues aswell as A/VTOS, and pulsatile tinnitus after having my op- first rib excision ).
I'm curious is the tinnitus a ringing sound or a rythmic pulsing whoosh/hum. If its Pulsatile Tinnitus ( rhytmic pulse sound ) than you could be looking at circulatory issues and a vascular specialist would be advisable.
Good luck and best wishes
SD38