Something that has helped me a lot is traction at home. In my own words, the theory is that as your spine gets compressed over the years, it puts pressure on nerves which can result in pain (and the stress that goes with it) and/or muscle spasms which have subsequent effects on the body (more neurovascular compression). Traction stretches you out and increases the space between the vertebra, thereby decreasing the pressure on nerves.

I'm currently doing this about 5 days a week:

1) 6 mins of inversion board
2) 6 mins of straight neck traction
3) 6 mins of curved neck traction

The products I use are:

"Ironman IFT 1000 Infrared Therapy Inversion Table"
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003LR1DB4/

"ComforTrac Home Cervical Traction Device"
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000II85YC/

"Deluxe Full Spine Posture Pump - Model 4100 - POS107"
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00128B39G/

These are not cheap, but they are reusable and seemingly durable. Sometimes you can find these listed multiple times on Amazon at different prices, so before you purchase, do a search. You might also search other places to see if you can find them cheaper.

I do some chest & pec minor stretches after the traction. This combo has me feeling pretty good!

I highly recommend getting the far infrared on the inversion board. On days when you're cold, especially in fall and winter, it helps a lot.

Regarding doing two kinds of neck traction, I decided to go that route based on a reviewer's comments that she got the best results using both of those neck traction devices rather than just one or the other.

Btw there is a study by PTs that showed that neck traction had a positive effect on the treatment of TOS patients. This is what got me interested in neck traction.

If you decide to try this, start easy and build up over time, or you can hurt yourself. The inversion board has a control strap that lets you limit the angle. You could start at 30 degrees for example. And you can start with just 1 min each of these. I recommend a timer because you can start daydreaming or even fall asleep on these devices.

Also, you can do multiple times a day. At one point, I had built up to 3 X per day, but don't need that any more.

I'm not claiming this will cure TOS by itself, but it has definitely helped my TOS. Specifically I get fewer muscle spasms in my neck and around my t-spine. Whether or not it helps others will be a function of whether not spinal nerve pressure is a factor in their TOS. I don't know of a good way to determine that. I simply tried these things to try them and they made my "helps me" list.

Don't forget: If you try this, start slow and build up over time.

If you have questions, feel free.

Interesting....thanks for taking the time to share this.
And, you were right -- not cheap!
If I can only afford to start off with one of them....which would you recommend I do first?

The only study I found applied to neck traction, so that eliminates the inversion board. Between the two neck traction devices, the ComforTrac feels like it has the most distinct effect, so I would start with that one.

Thanks so much for your reply -- Chroma!

As anyone else tried neck traction to treat TOS? Would be great to hear from you too.....

@lisa_tos posted a positive experience here in 2011:
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread153637.html

She got this unit:
http://www.amazon.com/Saunders-Cervi...dp/B002BUOLNY/

One of the reviewers preferred it over the ComforTrac, but his largest issue was his larger size which may not apply to you.

Getting back to neurotalk forums, there were also non-rewarding experiences described in that thread posted by people who had used different tools.

This is great info -- thanks for taking the time to share it.

How long did it take before you starting thinking that the traction might actually be helping.....

For the inversion board, I noticed on my 3rd or 4th session (one per day at that point) that I felt literally taller and more symmetrical from the waist up. Over time I learned that it took about 7 mins at near vertical to get my neck to elongate and to reduce muscle spasms in the neck. It took me a month or more to build up to that.

So based on that and the study I referenced, I decided to add cervical traction. I think it took about a week before it became obvious that it was helping me. Note that I already had some traction in from the inversion board.

On that note let me mention that the ComforTrac comes with an air pressure gauge on the pump. I think the Saunders might as well. I think the unit of measure is "pounds", but whatever it is, I started at 10 and then during the course of the six minutes I use the pump to add more. Originally I went from 10 to 12. Last night I went from 10 to 20.

I do it based on feel. I keep a strong tug, but avoid pain or distress. As my neck relaxes the tug feels weaker and then I hit the pump to increase it.

Building up slow is always preferable to an enthusiasm-induced TOS flare up.

I haven't found any guidelines on pressure or duration regarding cervical traction so if you come across any, please share.

Some info on duration, force and times per day:

https://www.google.com/search?q=cerv...ion+guidelines

http://www.djoglobal.com/sites/defau...tion_Sheet.pdf

http://www.jospt.org/doi/pdf/10.2519....2001.31.4.207

"Others17 have found that a three-week course of mechanical cervical traction along with a hot pack and exercise program reduced complaints of numbness significantly more than hot pack and exercise alone." ... so you were asking how long for improvement. One study tested 3 weeks of treatment. I don't know that they checked at early timeframes to see exactly when the benefits kicked in.

I have been sleeping with a small rolled microfiber hand towel under my neck when sleeping on my back, and two under my neck if on my side. It seems to be keeping nerves from getting compressed while sleeping. I no longer wake up with searing elbow pain and fingers that feel like they are plugged into an electrical light socket.

Placing pillows under yourr knees and lower legs to elevate them while you are laying supine will lengthen your lumbar spine and take pressure off lumbar nerves as well.

I'm sure those things help, but if you want to really increase the space between your vertebra, some inversion or traction is going to get the job done.