If PT mainly focused on strengthening that might be part of the problem - but for now these things linked below might be very helpful to start letting the shoulders drop back using gravity and not muscles.-
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/album.php?albumid=422

perhaps expert chiropractic care might be worth checking into.
One that uses pain relieving modalities along with adjusting..

Yes, I find that PT always focused on strengthening, almost like they did not want to work, to do any stretches where they have to work to assist you. They just wanted me to keep doing strengthening exercises while they did something else...like eat pizza, or sign their mortgage papers (not kidding). It is so hard to find a good PT. But the assisted stretching exercises seemed to help the most. I think it's called passive range of motion? Where the PT moves your arms around and stretches them? That's the best for me, the few times I've been lucky and a PT did it.

Those pictures you posted are pretty interesting. I have a half foam roller. I don't have a rubber exercise ball to lay back on, but I do have an exercise bench, and I can lay on that and let my arms hang down to the side. Do you think it's worth buying one of those big rubber exercise balls to lay on?

I tried chiropractic at a chiropractic teaching college for almost a full year, all of 2013, and it did nothing for me.

oh and look at our sticky threads too, so much saved info there..
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread125577.html
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread84.html


anything that works for you to lay on and doesn't make symptoms worse ...
rolled towels /blanket etc...

try to be as ergonomic as you can if you must work on laptop.. do you have external keyboard/mouse for more flexible arm positions?
we just got a nice adjustable laptop stand for on coffee table so we don't have to hunch over so much..

Um, not sure where to start. Don't use the computer ten hours per day because you don't have to and that will make things worse.


Try stretching your pec minor, like in a doorframe.

Work on strengthening your rhomboids and lower trap. Do wall push-ups for this, something like 10 reps and ten sets per day.

Get that big ball and dangle your arms off it, that stretch will feel good.

Walk, a lot. It improves circulation. Outside during the day to help with the depression, even if it's just around the block to start with.

You need a vascular surgeon or thoracic surgeon.

See about getting botox injections in the pec minor and anterior scalene muscles.

I would only go to advanced /expert PTs /DCs... not rookies..or DCs in training they just don't have the overall knowledge that is needed.
Some are truly healers and some just do the cracking..

My chiro used PT modalities & had extra training in many things.. (ultrasound, low level laser, IF stim, nimmo, etc) as well as adjustments and the c1/c2 upper cervical adjustment, also called atlas /axis, and elbow, shoulder, wrist etc...
I did a lot of things on my own as well as some regular PT (work comp) and then found an advanced PT that dropped my top ribs down when they had got stuck up due to severe spasms.
Also self trigger point w/ tennis ball
Sharon Butler - gentle stretches & fascia information - www.selfcare4rsi.com
overall posture work- Alexander etc..

Hi,
Ok, I did order a rubber exercise ball, like in the picture that Jo*mar posted.
It was $25 from Amazon. I should get it tomorrow.

Are you sure wall push-ups are ok? I thought those would strengthen/tighten the pectoralis minor? Any kind of pushing exercises, actually, I thought would be not recommended?

I did look at the selfcare4rsi page, but her book costs $97. There's no preview or anything, so I don't know if it's worth it. $97 is a lot of money for me. I would gladly pay it to ease my TOS, but that website looks....not very professional.

I understand the concept of botox injections, paralyzing the muscle, preventing it from tightening around the brachial plexus. Is that a new treatment? Is it controversial? Do you think most doctors would know of it?

There is so much information in here it's a bit overwhelming. I have an appointment to start PT, but not until December.
You are right about the quality of PTs or chiropractors mattering a whole lot. I went to a chiropractic teaching college pretty much the whole year of 2013, and had no improvement. I didn't have any insurance, so I had to go to the free student clinic. The students were sort of on to the fact that I had symptoms of TOS, but they just didn't have enough knowledge. I have medicare/medicaid now so it makes finding a PT easier.

Welcome, Paperbag,

I would echo what Eight said. Try, really try, to limit your computer time. I know it's hard, especially when works requires it. It's especially hard if you're already feeling isolated. But I've found it to be the worst thing for me.

Take care,
Kelly