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Thoracic Outlet Syndrome Thoracic Outlet Syndrome/Brachial Plexopathy. In Memory Of DeAnne Marie. |
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05-05-2012, 12:44 PM | #1 | ||
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trying not to fear the worst...quick recap:after 4 mos of wrist/arm/shoulder pain, diagnosed with carpal tunnel (on EMG) and thoracic outlet.I've been wearing a wrist brace at night and my carp tunnel is better. NO more bluish/col hand stuff...and can type long enough for work--but the burn is pretty constant in shoulder blade and top of shoulder..ice/heat helps enough.
So far I have had 3 p/t sessions--1x/wk--was trying to get to 2x/wk, but each time, a few hours after, my TOS symptoms are much worse. I went on Wed this week, and each afternoon since it flares bad. I had to cancel Fri appt. When it hits, I get a burning, like flames, pain under both arms, rt shoulder blade, neck , sides/front of throat, and across my rib cage. No swelling,color changes, sweating, or numbness--just fiery burning. Lasts a few hours like that. I usually try ice which always sounds awful but will help, and last night I got in a very warm bath, which helped. Is it getting worse? progression of disease--or is p/t not working? Is it more than TOS? hoping against RSD, but there isn't swelling and I can handle wind, clothes, people touching me, etc...no problem. thanks for your wisdom and time. |
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05-05-2012, 01:23 PM | #2 | |||
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The PT is the one that was doing rib mob right away?
Are they doing pain/sx relieving modalities too. maybe the rib mob and other things + still working 40 hrs a week?? -is too much? Or PT is just too aggressive for what you need right now? Sometimes they "have" to show ( boss/manager/Ins) that they are "fixing" you in a certain time frame vs doing what YOU need for optimal recovery. If that seems to be the case, that PT is too aggressive and/or set in a time frame plan, ask about that, and/or go find another PT place. Do they ask/evaluate you each time you come in - how you are feeling and make any changes to the plan?? If not, they are not going to work out for you, that's how I see it. The good places /PTs I saw always asked at the start of session how i was doing ,pain /sx level etc. then If any increase they focused on ultrasound/massage/heat = pain relief . Nothing else, stretches/or any strengthening stuff was backed off. That's how good PT should be done IMO. I hate to say this but.... I will say that I had NO improvement while still working , kept getting worse slowly, even very light modified work (4x 10 hr days too). But most of the jobs they found/made for me were still hand use and same postures as before only no speed requirement, but I still striped to accomplish the little jobs, I just can't sit around and not do anything when getting paid,,.. and I don't think that was the idea.. My dh employer would have the injured guys sit in an office , full pay, and not have to do anything, to keep them from having to claiming time off work wc monies. I found my old post that explains part of what happens when working & trying to recover- [If you are working or still using your hands/arms etc quite a bit it will take even longer to see results. Sharon Butler explains it with a health bank account analogy - (you are starting out at zero if your pain/symptoms are high). you go to PT & rest, so you gain say, 100 dollars in your account { I mean good PT - specific for what helps you to feel better} but if you drive to work and work and drive home you have to deduct 75 from that account - subtract even more $$ if you hurt more than before you went to work... plus you would subtract $$ for any other uses that you did between PT /resting etc.. this is just a simple version of her analogy - but it really made sense to me when I was having PT & still working and why I wasn't gaining much by way of improvement at the time - but of course my doc, wc and employer didn't take that into consideration.... that some will need time the off to see good results with PT. All I was doing at that time was going to work, PT sessions and then resting at home with ice/heat on my arms and doing the gentle stretches. My dx at the time was basically RSIs. I didn't know much about TOS til later. LOL if I knew then what I know now... ] Sharon Butler articles - http://www.selfcare4rsi.com/rsi-articles.html So basically you can end up in the hole with $0 dollars in your "use" account then things only do get worse IMO. When I was working while injured, I basically came home and iced/heat & totally rested, did nothing, actually I couldn't even use my hands for awhile they just stopped working for a short time, pretty bad in the bathroom situations....not much of a life at all for a few months and I still got taken off work as I was not improving.. I hope this doesn't freak you out , but just FYI as how bad it can get. But I did recover and no surgery but it took a lot of time and luck & self care. Prayed a lot too.. I would really look at and decide if this PT/place is helping you at all.. I don't know if there are lots of massage , bodyworkers, therapists, PTs or maybe even a chiro or osteopath?? in your area? to choose from maybe try another place? I'm near a city of 80,000 so many of those places to choose from.
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05-05-2012, 01:37 PM | #3 | ||
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oh you really are such a blessing--an answer to my prayers! just someone who gets it, listens, responds--thank you.
good memory on the previous p/t. my dr called the p/t place and asked for a specific girl and they changed me--i like her much better. the first time i switched to her (my 2nd total p/t), she was very gentle, we did foam roller, and some posture/sitting. no flare after that visit. i went back the next week (last wed) and said I felt some better--i had a lot of hope. So that time she did some manipulation (?) on my lower rib cage/diaphragm--it hurt while she did it--she called it loosening a stuck diaphragm? and then she worked on massage (hard) on my rt shoulder--said that area is still very tight. it felt sore while she did it, then she loosened up my pec muscles. All of that was more muscle-type sore, not nerve pain. But that afternoon--the burning. The next day I woke and was about a 6, OK, live-able...I did too much. I only tech. work part time, but I do a lot of personal computer stuff, have 2 young kids--and yesterday I really pushed it-wal mart, cooking, laundry--was so tired of feeling useless. Sorry this is so long! I see from you the wisdom in taking it slow. I really have to rest or I won't get better. Hard to hang on to hope that I ever will...but I do believe I will. And I'll admit I'm learning/growing a lot on the "inside" through all this humbling trail thanks again--I think I'll talk with her next week like you said and see if maybe she expected this with w she was doing. I do the foam roller like your diagram shows and I so like that. |
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"Thanks for this!" says: | Jomar (05-05-2012) |
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