Heybro,

I live in NE & would have to say it's a business friendly state. Also, can't find any p/t or dr recommendations anywhere.

Already filed a claim & was off work for a couple weeks. The PA (not a Dr.) clearly doesn't know what to do next so he sent me back to work. I imagine he's getting pressure from the w/c insurer AND my employer (no one wants to do my work).

Planning on calling him tomorrow to say it's painful, give me a referral.

Be sure to request someone expert, skilled & advanced or you may just get a so so PT.
They don't have to know about TOS specifically, but as long as they know the body well, and communicate with you as to how the sessions are going, and NOT making your worse, they should be of help.

TOS also makes for referred pain/symptoms & delayed pain/symptoms, so PT has to be adapted if pain increases later on after the session or even the next day. It often takes awhile for us to connect the dots unless someone has mentioned it so we know what to be aware of.

And the focus should be more the whole body & posture not just where the pain is. (natural alignment not forced /military postures)

referred and delayed, oh my gosh, it is like talking to a long lost friend.

no one understands THAT! they put your arm this way and ask if it hurts. i'm like "ask me in five hours!"

and one day i came home and was in fcuk siht pain and i was like "what did i do different!" and then i realized i had used a phone earlier. UGH.

Holles - i sent you a private message.

heybro...you got it down right. I love some of your comments. Your right, I will be in pain and ask myself what I did to cause it, and sure enough it was something from earlier in the day.

Or the day before...

YUP! Exactly!

And whenever I try something NEW, I go really slow and sure enough, BAM, I'll get hit real hard just from that new thing I tried.

YOU GUYS ARE COOL!

Glad I found some long lost friends here!

I will never understand Doctors. My own physician previously said he thought it may be fibromyalgia, so I asked for a referral to a rheumatologist. They won't see me. But they will refer me to a pain specialist. WTH? I don't want pain treatment, I want to know what is wrong with my arms & shoulders!

These visits are thru my own insurance, not work comp.

I have a visit to a spine specialist scheduled for this Thurs so maybe I can get an answer then. Again, this isn't thru work comp. I've given up on that system - they are way more interested in me going away & leaving them alone to count their money than figuring anything out. Although they are sending me to a hand specialist (!!!) & then meeting with their medical director. Probably to shut me up. Sheesh.

yes, doctors do not understand TOS so they begin to say that it is in your head. pain management is code for "there is nothing wrong with you, we think you are making it up"

you need to see someone that knows about TOS. actually knows. go to a vascular surgeon that has done it or a physical therapist that has actually done it. there is a PT list on here called NEW PT list.

They think I'm making it up? Why in the world would I do that?

Sadly, my state isn't represented on the new PT list thread.

Well, the hand Dr. said a percentage of people have normal EMG with carpal tunnel and he gave me a cortisone shot. He doesn't believe in TOS. The shot actually helped my hand. Unfortunately he also poked around above my collar bone & set off the spasms again. Horrific headache & heavy arms that night & the next day.

The Spine Dr. said I have cervical degenerative discs, which I already knew, and said I should go to a neurologist.

What do you guys think? Would a neurologist get an MRI of the braxial plexus area?