Hi Everyone,

I have a question concerning a problem I am having and I was wondering if anyone had experienced this or if it was even TOS related.

Even though I did have surgery almost 2 years ago, now and then I still experience some flare ups and especially now with all the stress I have been under.

For the last week and a half though I have had a problem with the side of my face(TOS side) being very sore. It's the sorest around the temple area. Very tender to the touch. Feels like someone has punched in the face. There is no swelling or drooping of the eye or anything else around it. No ear pain or jaw pain.

I have had something like this in the past but it had only lasted a day or so. This has been over a week now.

Meanwhile, like I said my TOS has been bothering me badly. Tenderness and pain around the surgical area. Shoulder pain and numbness in hand. It usually flares up like this when I get under stress and like I said, there has sure been enough of that in my life these days.

Has anyone had this before and could it be TOS related?

Thanks for any input.

Peggy

Hi Peg, it's been 3 years since my rib resections.

Right now I have some very tender points right around my left temple. It comes and goes. Sometimes I'll even get a sharp brain-pain, but that lasts only a second or so. True, I am under HUGE amounts of stress right now. And yes, stress alone can cause me a flare-up. But then I've always placed my 'tension' around my shoulders. I've had people ask me why my shoulders were up around my ears and it was stress/fear related.

Post surgeries, I've started placing my stress at my feet: always tapping, shaking, standing on my big toe, grinding my toe into the ground... and now it seems I have arthritis in my feet!

OK, so where do I put the tension now?

It concerens me that you say you've had this feeling for over a week Peg. Have you asked a Dr about it? Does it subside if you are totally relaxed? It could be a normal response to your swolen arms/hands..causing swelling or spasm in other facial muscles. But to last this long?

concerned,
Anne

I have many tender point in my face on both sides. They are located on my temples, my jaw back by my ear lobe and just below the corner of my eyes. I find it difficult to lay on my sides as it causes discomfort and then can initiate a headache. Most of the time I end of falling asleep on my back.
Maybe you can try some ice packs on the area of your face. I do notice though that the more intense areas are on my right side and that is my worse side at this time.
Many Hugs
Dawn

Peggy,
I am sorry you are having these troubles. The only face symptoms i get is when the left side of my entire face,ear,and neck feel numb. I know it is an "upper plexus" problem based on one of the papers Dr Brantigan gave me, but I don't know much more than that.

One friend who gets migraines says that in her they come from tense muscles along the side of the face and temple. She actually take muscle relaxers to make the headaches go away.

If you take one of your muscle relaxers can you get it to go away or at least lessen? Maybe you have aggravated something and you have a muscle in the surgical area that is spasming and causing the discomfort.


Try to get some rest, and I agree a call to the doctor is probably in order.



Johanna

do any of these areas fit where you have the pain/sore spots?

http://www.pressurepointer.com/trape...ger_points.htm
http://www.pressurepointer.com/SCM_trigger_points.htm
http://triggerpoints.net/_sgg/m1m1_1.htm

Peggy,
I have this same problem- it does come and go, but seems to "come" alot more often than "go".....I have it on both sides in my temple area and at its worst it feels like a deep bruise and is so painful and tender that I can't stand any pressure on there at all. Sometimes at the same time I'm dealing with this, I'll also have severe pain in my C-spine like someone has stuck an icepick in it and pain up the back of my head, around my ears, and into the the eye/temple area. My PM dr. told me that all of this is due to my occipital neuralgia and cervical dystonia- that the muscles are so chronically spasmed that they cause these symptoms around my face and head. I'm on a muscle relaxer on a regular basis to try to keep it under control.

peg..it might be TMJ. stress can cause you to clench your jaws. even in sleep. the pain you are discribing is just what happened to me.

Hi Peg,

I get facial pain with my TOS and it can last upto 2 months. I have pain in my sinus area, jaw, teeth etc. The Dr's put it down to sinusitis but after 5 boxs of antibiotics, no relief whatsoever. Also had ears etc checked and can find nothing so they said MAY be related to TOS. It comes and goes a few times a year but it is VERY painful and I can be on strong painkillers for a couple of months. Hope this helps.

I get it too. It will extend down my jaw and cause the muscles in my cheek to swell.

I went to the Dentist to have it checked, and it is not TMJ.

VERY PAINFUL, and can last for weeks! Stress makes it worse, but is not a factor is starting it for me, just seem to make it worse.

I am 2 years post op.

Hang in there Hon!!

Caladium