[JustSmile]

OK, I have not been officially diagnosed. But I have had these symptoms for 6 years. I have been on anti-inflammation drugs and muscle relaxers this whole time. I have tried Chiropractors, acupuncture, and Physical Therapy, which have all made my symptoms worse. I have been told all types of thing from anxiety to heartburn. I have seen many doctors. All my test come out normal. I recently had chest pain (which is a common symptom of TOS) and had a heart work up with no problems there.

Here are my most common syptoms off the top of my head:
I have chronic headache in the back of the head.
choking or strangling feeling in neck
pins and needles feeling in upper chest and neck
numbness in hands when driving, blow drying hair, etc.
Shortness of breath feeling
Pain in neck, shoulders, and upper back and now chest
eye pain/pressure

I was getting buy taking one muscle relaxer a day. Now I have to take 2 to 3 a day to function properly along with Ibuprofen. If stop one of them I am bed ridden the next day.

I need to find a doctor that will listen to me. My pain is interfering with my life and I am sick of it. I have 5 children and some days I can't get out of bed when my symptoms are bad.

So I am reading post here and doing research. I am a nurse, so I find it helpful. Finding out about TOS is actually giving me hope that maybe I can improve my quality of life, if I could just get a doctor to listen to me.

[chroma]

Originally Posted by JustSmile

So I am reading post here and doing research. I am a nurse, so I find it helpful. Finding out about TOS is actually giving me hope that maybe I can improve my quality of life, if I could just get a doctor to listen to me.

You'll need to see a doc who knows TOS really well in the first place. If you already have, try a 2nd.

Chiro and PT helped me, but as with all professions, the skill level and approach of the professionals varies. You may need to keep trying until you find someone who works for you.

Good luck.

[SHogan2]

Hi, I'm Sarah and I hav thoracic outlet syndrome.
About 6 months after a carpal tunnel surgery on my right wrist, I began to experience pain in the wrist but the doctors immediately scared me with a diagnosis of possible rsd. The pain and tingling spread into my hand and up to my shoulders. Within a year of the pain returning to my right wrist, both arms and hands were affected. Then, after the 4 gangliana nerve blocks failed, my doc says "I'm sorry, I just don't know what to do." Needless to say, I was very angry with doctors, I began to think I was crazy, and I wanted to give up.
I got a diagnosis in Nov. of '10 of bilateral TOS- Two and a half years after the symptoms began. In May, I got a left 1st rib resection, a pectoral minor reduction and a scalenectomy.
No real relief. The pt is increasing my strength but the pain just continues on.
Good luck to newcomers- just keep on.. its really difficult but worth it

[DT88]

Hi, I'm Drake, 23years old. Sorry for my bad english. Here is my TOS history, I went to chiropractor past six/seven months ago, it was helped a bit, but the pain is still coming back, it's seriously disturbing me, and I didn't my what is my problem and I did the physiotherapy also recommended by some doctors, that also the same things. Actually the pain was being started past one year and now finally one of the doctor (Among Ortho Specialists), hand surgeon, diagnosed me that I'm suffering TOS.

Mine is so bad, my shoulder (right) is dropping, and getting winged scapula. Even can't talk over the phone by holding with my right hand. I raise my hand to over my head position, my shoulder is cracking, my right hand can't even touch to my lower back, and my trapezius muscle (right) getting weak, my jaw become dislocated more often, stiff-neck due to my scalene muscle tightness. Of course, numbness, tingling feeling at my index finger, fourth finger and shoulder. Now I'm waiting for the surgery. Hopefully it can cure my TOS fully.