Past neuro symptoms: Severe shoulder and pec minor pain. Numbness in the forearm--based on location and nature I think it was ulnar nerve entrapment, but that's a guess, not the result of any test. I had tingling in the fingertips every day.

Currently I get just hints of fingertip tingling and forearm numbness. I get minor shoulder and pec minor pain on an intermittent basis. My feeling in my symptomatic hand, like if I scratch it, is less than the other hand.

I did not have the classic ntos problem of experiencing pain by reaching for something. I don't think my ntos has been as bad as many others on this board.

Oh and another thing that I did to help, was prop up the symptomatic arm on a regular basis to lift the shoulder girdle and therefore reduce compression in that area. My symptomatic side has a depressed/droopy shoulder and TOS is all about compression, so this seemed like a good idea and it helped me a lot. Not a cure, but relief is always a good thing.

My atos has always been worse than the ntos. I've had my circulation back up so bad that my heart started cramping under my sternum (an awful, awful feeling) and I almost fainted. I also had chest pains and severe pallor with that. Went to the ER and the cardiologist, but after numerous tests they could find nothing wrong with my heart. These severe faux cardiac arrests stopped after I started propping the arm up!

But I still have dizziness and still feel my pulse in my body, mostly on the left side. Sometimes my heart becomes labored and the pulse sensation is huge. Based on various details, I believe it's arterial compression (as opposed to venous).

What fun times!

Hang in there Chroma.
You've been a fantastic source of support and great tips for me and I'm sure others too on this forum. Just remember to use them on yourself.
With TOS I now understand that its ongoing. Swings and roundabouts.....one symptom goes and so another begins!
Bring it on, hey..... It can't get any worse, surely?
Actually I take back that statement.....ENOUGH ALREADY!!!!!!!
Best wishes SD38

Thanks Chroma, glad to hear you've been able to make progress!

I thought I'd give an update as it's a year or so post-op now... and in reply to this, my shoulder/chest/upper arm numbness is much the same as it was immediately after the op, and the surgeon says it's likely to be permanent.

Other than numbness though (which I'm getting used to) everything else has gone well - a doppler scan carried out a couple of weeks ago showed that the artery is repaired, so I have a positive outcome from arterial (and minor neuro) TOS!

Bex

Thanks for coming back with an update. So is the numbness from permanent nerve damage?

Is it, pins and needles? reduced senses? or?
Any scar tissue or recurrence since?

Yeah, it's mostly numbness with some abnormal sensation. It was caused by the placement of the excision as it had to cut some cutaneous nerves...

As far as I know scar tissue hasn't been a problem, and my original problem shouldn't recur at least as the extra (cervical) rib is gone

Bex

Glad you are doing better! Would always be interested in hearing with those with NTOS who did not have an extra rib, and how they fared post op. Those are very rare it would seem. The success stories seem to be vascular related, accident victims, or those with anatomical anomalies.

343-

I am pretty certain I have NTOS, and I am scheduled for surgery on Friday...

Still trying to understand all of the subtle nuances and acronyms....

I believe NTOS simply refers to the fact that your issues are nerve relate versus vascular or arterial, correct?

If so, then, yes...I have NTOS...

Good luck with your surgery on Friday!!! Best wishes and happy thoughts to you with your recovery too!! Are you having it done at University of Minn? I've heard only good things about the hospital especially their vascular team.