Thanks for the help regarding the foam roll. I am going to try and get one tomorrow. I am just wiped out after driving 45 minutes each way to the doctor and back. My neck, shoulder, arm hurt so much right now I think I will go soak in an Epsom salt bath. I hope it helps. I thank you so much for the pictures of the ball stretch and the foam roll stretch. I have a ball and will try it after the Epsom salt soak.

This TOS is so time consuming. I am worn out.

Ball stretch
 

Ok, couldn't wait so I tried the ball stretch. My does that pull on the TOS side. I don't know how to tell if I am doing too much or not. I can feel pain from my neck to deep inside the shoulder and under the collar bone. I will try it again a bit later. I am game because doing nothing but watching TV is not helping.

Gentle only, don't push thru any pain.
slow and easy is the best TOS way. :)

The tissues are restricted and stuck most likely, you can't just get crazy with stretches and see good results right away, it takes time.

You probably got TOS over time and so it takes time to change the body back to a more normal state.


I follow Sharon Butler's suggestion on any stretch or activity, only to a minute hint of a stretch sensation, nothing more.

In a short time you should notice that the sensation is not appearing as soon as it first did & that you are moving a bit futher each time.

Slow and steady is the best way.

Jo*Mar thank you for the advice. I have been really pushing the stretches because I was afraid that if I didn't hit it hard, I would end up with a closed artery or something. I can feel the tightness on the right side, all around the front of the shoulder and collar bone when I do any stretching. I don't feel it on the left, only the right. I am going to slow it way down. I was stretching to the point of pain every time.

Also, I looked for a foam roller and can get one tomorrow that is 36" x 6". That seems to be a popular size. Do you just lay on it with it under both arms? Or down the spine up to the head? Not sure how to do this. I will also get the Sharon Butler information. I think I looked at it on-line a week or so ago but was unsure. Now I know I need to get all the tools I can because I can see the doctor is not able to cure this for me.

I am going to go back through all my posts tomorrow when I am not so tired and write down all the advice I have received. I am not retaining some of it due to pain, anxiety and fear so I need to get it on paper in front of me and make a game plan. I know someone also said I should write things down, what helps, what hurts, and now I can see why it is so important. It is hard for me to remember all of this information and how I react to different things.

For the foam roll, your head spine and rear end should fit on it , aline it with your spine.

here's a video showing it with a half roll - more on the right side of the page also -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdH5OVzpKBU

Ideas for flare ups
 

I have also had great relief from the Medrol dose pack and thought for the 3-4 weeks when on it, "Oh my God, I have my life back!" I was thinking that I may not have to have surgery and was highly optimistic. I have since realized from the Thoracic Outlet Specialist that "You cannot live on Steroid packs", however it is great relief to get you through a flare up.

I also found that when this is combined with a muscle relaxer, I happened to be on Flexeril, that the results are even better. I also found the Neurontin to be helpful. There is also a stretch that my physical therapist has me do that provides me with some relief, while stretching the muscle

My pain is most significant in my pec. minor, so this stretch may help those experience the brachial plexus pain. My husband stands over me while on the bed and places his palms of his hands on my shoulders applying moderate pressure, which seems to help open up the shoulder girdle and relieve some of the compression on my nerves. We do this nightly for 5 reps. of 15 seconds each time.

You can also do this one alone using a corner of a wall to push against the wall, however I have been told to be careful not to "overly protract my shoulder, or I will stretch the shoulder and not the pec. minor." This disorder can be very emotionally depleting so I think it is extremely important to use every support possible, which is why I am happy to be joining this group!

Good luck

Ah, thank you for the YouTube foam roll demo. I did not get the correction position from the stick diagram at all. I thought the little stick figure was on a bench and I could not see the foam roll. This clears it up and now I think I want to try that half-roll that is shown.

I also wrote down the suggestion regarding the steroids. I see my neurologist tomorrow and I think she will definitely like that idea as she has used it twice in the past for me to break a cycle of month-long headaches (and it worked). I am also going to have my husband try the shoulder press tonight. I do notice when I am laying on my back that it is hard for me to get my shoulders to go back. It is like they permanently curl upward. When I force them down a little, I can feel the nerve pain run right down the arm. I am writing down all the advice I have received right now and plan to track how I react to each item.

You are so right when you say this is draining.

If the foam roller is too much for you, or you find yourself waiting for one to arrive, try the "corpse pose". I was so tight in the beginning that just doing this would stretch my TOS-side pec. Then after I couldn't feel that stretch any more, I was ready for the roller, well sort of. I wish I had started with the half roller. The full is a bit of a jump.

Also, regarding flare ups, my chiro recommended a cold pack on the thoracic area for 15 mins on, 15 off and 15 on. No direct skin contact, of course. Really helps me.

A few brugger relief poses, scattered throughout the day, have also been helpful to me. You can look it up on youtube or google for details.

Good luck.

I am waiting until I can calm the area before I try the half foam roll again. It was too much. I am back to trying gentle shoulder shrugs every couple of hours or so and I am hoping for some relief. I tried to put a bra on for a little bit so I could go to the doctor yesterday and that put me right back into the worst of TOS pain again. I took the strap off after 10 minutes (in the car), but it was too late, my hand has been hot and numb ever since and that was yesterday.

What does that compress when it makes the arm go numb so quickly from a bra strap? Is that scalenes? I do wear a good support, thick stretch strap model, but it does not help. I can only wear a long-line bra without straps and they are the most uncomfortable garments ever made so my time in them is short. Anyone know why the strap makes numbness and pain?