[Joshuamr]

Hey new to the forum and seeking advice/help. I was in a bad car accident in April 2011 and was hospitalized for 3 days with a contusion of the left hip and was unable to walk for a couple weeks. Severe lower back/neck pain right away. Mri X &xray of back negative. Doc said prob soft tissue damage offered cortisone shots which i declined. Few months later started getting a dull ache in right shoulder which I ignored for months until it became more severe. Shoulder started to feel numb/pressure constantly. Arm started feeling weak. Started getting pain in my shoulder blade area. Then finally my hand started locking up on me. When grasping or moving my arm certain ways my fingers (middle and index mostly, but sometimes ring and thumb) lock in a downward position and remain like that until I relax my arm then it kind of releases and I can slowly open them. I have had an mri of neck which revealed a herniation at c5-6 level and a budging disc at c6-7 level. The Neuro said it wasn't effecting the nerves though and wasn't the cause. Had an Emg done which revealed ulnar nerve entrapment at elbow only....which controls the fingers that I am not having a problem with leaving me further confused. I just recentely had a regular MRI of the brachial plexus but got a phone call from the nurse yesterday saying it was negative. Waiting to go back to the Neuro in a week. Read up on TOS and found that lots of people had negative mri's and emg's with TOS and similar symptoms as myself. Was gonna ask my Nero about possible TOS....just wondering if anyone had similar problems/pain and difficulty getting a diagnosis. I have been getting NO sleep lately waking up with this pain/pressure in shoulder and shoulder blade region. Also feels like pressure in chest at times. Sooooo tired of it and not knowing what's wrong...hand symptoms getting worse and praying for an answer. Sorry for the lengthy post, seeing similar stories gave me some hope for a possible answer to my pain.

[mytea]

Definitely sounds like you should bring this up to your neurologist at your next visit. I too have had 'normal' MRI's (2),EMG's (2), spinal tap, viral testing etc. You name it, I was tested for it and it was all negative. I cannot say I am not thankful, but this pain is REAL and we all need to find a solution. Side bar- Be your own advocate. If one doctor does not believe you, take you seriously or shrugs you off, find another one. After all, it is your money you have to spend! Sorry for the rant, just my $.02. I do know that herniations do not always cause problems, but you may want to get a second opinion about the herniations in your neck being the cause of your symptoms. If the herniations are truly ruled out TOS would not be a long shot for you in my book! I am no physician, just my input...Welcome to the show I am new also...

Originally Posted by Joshuamr

Hey new to the forum and seeking advice/help. I was in a bad car accident in April 2011 and was hospitalized for 3 days with a contusion of the left hip and was unable to walk for a couple weeks. Severe lower back/neck pain right away. Mri X &xray of back negative. Doc said prob soft tissue damage offered cortisone shots which i declined. Few months later started getting a dull ache in right shoulder which I ignored for months until it became more severe. Shoulder started to feel numb/pressure constantly. Arm started feeling weak. Started getting pain in my shoulder blade area. Then finally my hand started locking up on me. When grasping or moving my arm certain ways my fingers (middle and index mostly, but sometimes ring and thumb) lock in a downward position and remain like that until I relax my arm then it kind of releases and I can slowly open them. I have had an mri of neck which revealed a herniation at c5-6 level and a budging disc at c6-7 level. The Neuro said it wasn't effecting the nerves though and wasn't the cause. Had an Emg done which revealed ulnar nerve entrapment at elbow only....which controls the fingers that I am not having a problem with leaving me further confused. I just recentely had a regular MRI of the brachial plexus but got a phone call from the nurse yesterday saying it was negative. Waiting to go back to the Neuro in a week. Read up on TOS and found that lots of people had negative mri's and emg's with TOS and similar symptoms as myself. Was gonna ask my Nero about possible TOS....just wondering if anyone had similar problems/pain and difficulty getting a diagnosis. I have been getting NO sleep lately waking up with this pain/pressure in shoulder and shoulder blade region. Also feels like pressure in chest at times. Sooooo tired of it and not knowing what's wrong...hand symptoms getting worse and praying for an answer. Sorry for the lengthy post, seeing similar stories gave me some hope for a possible answer to my pain.

[Joshuamr]

Originally Posted by mytea

Definitely sounds like you should bring this up to your neurologist at your next visit. I too have had 'normal' MRI's (2),EMG's (2), spinal tap, viral testing etc. You name it, I was tested for it and it was all negative. I cannot say I am not thankful, but this pain is REAL and we all need to find a solution. Side bar- Be your own advocate. If one doctor does not believe you, take you seriously or shrugs you off, find another one. After all, it is your money you have to spend! Sorry for the rant, just my $.02. I do know that herniations do not always cause problems, but you may want to get a second opinion about the herniations in your neck being the cause of your symptoms. If the herniations are truly ruled out TOS would not be a long shot for you in my book! I am no physician, just my input...Welcome to the show I am new also...

Yeah def will bring it up next visit.....thanks for the advice. It's so frustrating hoping for an answer after each test and finding another dead end, but I guess we just have to keep moving on until we figure it out. So i guess i can look foward to that spinal tap next! lol. Going in a week to the Neuro so ill keep my fingers crossed. Good luck to you, I know now how living with chronic pain is. (NOT FUN)

[mytea]

Spinal tap next lol That one was funny! For your sake, I hope that your doctor does not go that direction. Good luck next week with your Neurologist! Thank you for the well wishes and chronic pain is definitely a damper. We will prevail, just might take some time to get there

Originally Posted by Joshuamr

Yeah def will bring it up next visit.....thanks for the advice. It's so frustrating hoping for an answer after each test and finding another dead end, but I guess we just have to keep moving on until we figure it out. So i guess i can look foward to that spinal tap next! lol. Going in a week to the Neuro so ill keep my fingers crossed. Good luck to you, I know now how living with chronic pain is. (NOT FUN)

[NerPain4]

Thin female with 8 yr history of computer workstation use at a fast paced job. Non-ergonomic workstation. Pain began with severe onset of pain in trapezius mm, levator scapulae mm area, Right side, then left side. Pain then "spread" to bilateral forearms with severe muscle/tendonitis, radial tunnel. Suffered and continued to work full time for 6 months because I did not have sick time off/employee benefits...until I became disabled. Had physical therapy with 4 different p.t.'s, had diagnostic exams which were all confirmatory for TOS (with vascular component). Finally saved up enough to have the surgery for TOS on one side. Am still disabled by pain and symptoms today, am now fighting with WC (which was obtained after a trial determined I was an employee) to obtain SCS for pain management.

Am really frustrated with battling WC for medical care and benefits! Worker's Comp is evil and responsible for prolonging my suffering and causing more injury to me.

[BSEMT110]

Hi my name is Bridget. It took ten years for doctors to figure out what was wrong, but than again I do live in Montana. I was diagnosed with bilateral TOS. I had my first surgery Dec 12, 2012. My doc is going to hold off on the left since it is not as symptomatic as my right side was. My recovery has gone extremely well one month post op and I am playing volleyball. It felt so good since I haven't been able to play for quiet sometime. My arm used to go completely numb and my shoulder would hurt for months after a big episode. Wen they removed the rib the found that I had a bigger rib than normal. The only post op thing that has happened is that I have nerve pain, but my doc thinks that since my nerves where compressed for so long that it will take a little bit more time for them to heal and get back to full function. Anyone else experience the nerve pain issue.

[Jomar]

Hello & welcome,

Please copy/paste your post from here, or make a new thread on the main TOS section.
Sometimes we don't notice new members that only post in this thread.

It works best to have our conversations in the main TOS threads section.

here is the main TOS section -
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum24.html


New members please make a new thread for yourself here -
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/ne...newthread&f=24