[mspennyloafer]

Yeah. I know most people wash the mag oil after 30 mnutes

I sit exactly like that too

[brmr19]

Chroma, Let me know what you think. I wore it yesterday for like 5 hours and 4 hours today. It does give me some relief.

[chroma]

Originally Posted by mspennyloafer

Yeah. I know most people wash the mag oil after 30 mnutes

I sit exactly like that too

You have to stop. Today. And forever.

[mspennyloafer]

I know I've got kyphotic hump in my back. I can't believe this doc said it was only slight to me its ghastly.

Is the correct way to sit is by pushing your stomach out? I kind of feel like I'm pregnant when I do it...lol

[chroma]

I haven't been on these forums in a long time. Any breakthroughs in TOS diagnosis or treatment while I was gone?

[nospam]

Originally Posted by chroma

I haven't been on these forums in a long time. Any breakthroughs in TOS diagnosis or treatment while I was gone?

Any updates on your treatment?

[chroma]

When I moved out of LA, I dropped both PT and chiro to see how long I could go. I also dropped the diazepam at one point. By 3 months I was in really bad shape with TOS symptoms, dizziness and even vertigo. One day it got bad enough that I could not walk and wasn't sure if I'd pass out. I went to the ER and got checked out, but all tests were negative and I was discharged with some anti-dizziness and anti-nausea meds (vertigo => hurl).

I re-entered PT with Art Ando which improved me substantially in pretty much the same way I had improved with Joyce Wilkinson: manual therapy to relieve muscle spasms, mobilize joints and align the body. Dizziness came way down. TOS symptoms improved over all, but as you know, they can vary day to day.

But I kept reverting. I mentioned this to Ando and he said that was called "recidivism" in PT--when a patient is treatable, but the problem returns. He said, "At least your not recalcitrant." That's when you're untreatable.

Btw I'm a combo case of TOS+TMJD.

I thought more about this and concluded the most fundamental problem was chronic muscle tension. I clench my neck, jaw and intercostals in response to even small stressors. I did some more research on Amazon looking at various books, paying special attention to the people's specific experiences as relayed through their reviews. Consequently, I came across this gem:

The Quieting Reflex by Charles Stroebel
http://www.amazon.com/QR-Quieting-Re...dp/0425058670/

I'm only 3 weeks into this, but it has substantially reduced muscle tension and TMJD symptoms. Even my TOS has improved. This has been a breakthrough/milestone for me.

I also like "The Intelligent Body: TMJ Program by Frank Wildman" which is a Feldenkrais audio.

Getting back to Ando, he is 120 miles round trip for me, so I'm not currently going. I may look for manual therapy down here in Temecula or Murrieta. So my current regime is all home care:

-- stretches, PT and yoga
-- exercises, PT and regular
-- somatics
-- quieting reflex (QR)
-- some diazepam, but less than half what I used before QR
-- some feldenkrais audio

Life is not perfect, but life is much better.

[chroma]

And I should have included:

-- self first rib adjustment

[chroma]

So yeah, getting back to that "life is not perfect" part...

I started working out again doing normal work out stuff in addition to PT exercises and therpeutic stretches. You know, push-ups and stuff. You know where this is going...

I then had a vascular compression flare up.

-- strong pulse sensation at the base of the front neck, stronger on the left side
-- undue fatigue
-- heart gulps
-- loss of blood pressure in arms

Scary stuff. I went through this in January 2012 as well for the same reasons. The solution was to simply stop those exercises and rest a lot.

So basically, I cannot build any musculature in the chest or shoulders without flaring up. I thought maybe with recent progress I could get away with it, but I was wrong.

I guess I'm going to have really strong legs then.

[astern]

Originally Posted by chroma

So yeah, getting back to that "life is not perfect" part...

I guess I'm going to have really strong legs then.

Yep, I get the same vascular compression symptoms when doing minor housework with my arms.

My legs seem to be very strong. My Feldenkreis PT told me that the glutes and thigh muscles are the largest on the human body and
l o v e to do the heavy work our other muscles complain about.

Yeay legs!