a number of doctors out there are showing that they can decrease scar tissue and increase our new organic tissue using PRP or stem cells. If scar tissue is a problem in thoracic outlet syndrome then it would make sense at least attempt this. I spoke to Dr Hugh Gelabert at UCLA's mentions this and this made sense to me because I have heard of stem cells converting heart attack scar tissue to actual heart muscle tissue. He does not have experience or numbers to discuss with me about it but I am on the lookout. I have a consultation with Dr Miller that is here in the Los Angeles and Orange County area. apparently he does PRP injections for this TOS.

Any comments?

Very interesting! I am convinced apart from multiple crush syndrome for my TOS my biggest issue are scalenes on my left side, injured from a bike accident. Scar tissue resolution is like the holy grail for us TOS'ers.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/ar...dicine-injury/

Theoretically, many of the athletes may have a type of tendonitis, [such as] Achilles tendonitis or, say, patellar tendonitis in the knee or tennis elbow. Many of these tendon injuries become chronic, and involve microscopic tearing of the tendon and formation of scar tissue. A reason why it's difficult to heal these tendon injuries is related to poor blood supply to the region. The perfect example would be the Achilles. It's a tendon with, in general, a poor blood supply, so when there are these microscopic tears or chronic scarring, the body has a difficult time healing it. The theory is that the body can't on its own get enough of these healing or growth factors to the area, but now this concentrated platelet injected there just enhances the nutrients and growth factors to allow the body to heal it.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22182435

http://www.shoulderdoc.co.uk/article/1324

Need to be careful though.. no need to add more to scar tissue

https://www.orthop.com/pdfs/JBJS_Rev...ew_Figures.pdf

But is it really the scar tissue? How do we really know that? it seems like the drs don't really know what it is, they just assume and make speculations. I don't think TOS is understood enough.

There is definitely an inflammatory component to TOS and other items. But people get back from far worse, so if you can reduce the main drivers of pain, rest will fall in place. I think accupuncture has its place in muscles but not near nerves.

Akash I believe you're right. PRPn increase scar tissue who knows, i'll take a look at your paper link. I tend to think scar tissue is reaction of bad inflammation. I was looking recently at serrapeptase an enzyme to break down fibrin or the precursors of fibrin, I'm not sure. I don't know of its use for actual developed scar tissue. I was wondering if injections might help. It has been shown in mice to reduce scar tissue post surgery. Even when taken orally.

Jheumann, do you mind posting on how your experience with Dr. Miller goes and what is his information? I'd like to do some research into this and him as well. I recently moved out to OC and need to find new doctors (have had 3 unsuccessful surgeries in the past 3 years). Thanks!

[QUOTE=Akash;1138489]There is definitely an inflammatory component to TOS and other items. But people get back from far worse, so if you can reduce the main drivers of pain, rest will fall in place.

Yeah, exactly. How can people recovery from near death car crashes and such and we can't recover from this?

What I am saying applies to me. I don't mean any offense to you or anyone else so I don't know how specific your situation is.

Basically, I was a disaster waiting to happen and it did. My luck. I was near asleep when my accident occurred so I couldn't protect my most critical area - the neck.

Next, a prominent PT says "accidents expose weaknesses in your body". I completely agree with this.

In my case, I was a classic case (still am) of overstressed movement muscles acting as stabilizers (my stabilizing muscles were weak to begin with) and a collection of issues. I am still figuring them out by reading.

When you have a weak core and improper upper body musculature, and the wrong overactive lower body musculature, you develop over stressed upper body muscles, forward head posture, and all sorts of movement dysfunctions which trundle along happily. Add sedentary habits (mine) and rapid activities (crazy stressful running around doesn't compensate). Computer work is the worst.

Bad posture is a result.

Now, along comes an accident and switches off a few of the critical muscles that are needed to maintain the above house of cards. Bang, everything collapses.

Add faulty breathing so that accessory muscles which were anyways near nerves become even more hypertonic.

Point is though that theoretically its all reversible, but you need to find/fund a 100 PTs each specializing in some different attribute and work your way through them. Suppose you learn deep breathing and can relax your accessory muscles like the scalenes. Suddenly they will disengage and things may be better.

I have read several reviews of Edgelows protocol which point this out.

The United States, Europe and Australia are the best in this regard. You have a plethora of options.

Highly educated PTs who know their stuff. They may not know everything. But each person you visit, learn from, will give you one more key to your puzzle and its possible that a year or two from now, your symptoms may be inconsequential.

That's the approach I'd follow in the US. I am amazed by the number of skilled professionals there.

Akash, great insight on all this. Here's what happened to me.

I was born with abnormal first ribs, there was a 4cm piece on each side that was connected to my sternum. These extra pieces of bone made my first rib very immobile and were pressing on arteries, veins and nerves. I had a bad posture my entire life but not because I didn't want to sit up straight, but because I couldn't. My first rib wouldn't allow it due to being immobile. Then I worked on a computer for 10 years.

Obviously I found out all this at 34. I didn't know I had abnormal ribs, tos or bad circulation.

The big question is...what now? I also have a long neck and I am fairly tall for a woman. 5.9 or 175cm