I saw a chiropractor on Thursday - talked with my PT and figured that perhaps giving chiro a chance was a good idea (plus I have chiro coverage left and I have used up all my PT coverage). Thursday was basically my assessment and he did some stretching of the scalenes - pretty passive stuff. Apparently this guy also uses the 'Graston Technique' and 'ART' - my question is, has anyone had any experience (good or bad) with either of these techniques? I know some people swear by a chiro and others don't (I saw a chiro years ago when I tore the disk in my jaw and it helped wonders)...just looking for any experience, comments...things to watch out for.

I am still quite sore - upper back (between the shoulder blades, I am told this is because my chest muscles are so tight), shoulder blade, shoulder, collar bone area and my forearm and hand. I stil have a loss of sensation in some fingers and my bicep...it seems to be coming along slowly but if I miss a massage or a PT appt I am feeling it. I started going to a Waterfit class - hoping that might help! See the surgeon again late-November, see what he predicts about a return to work plan (I know I am not ready yet - just typing this my hand goes from burning hot to freezing cold then will go to burning hot again when I rest).

Thanx for listening...and any comments you might have!!!

I hadn't heard of that techinque before so I looked it up here's a little video about it-
http://www.grastontechnique.com/Slide_Show.html

and a few other sites on it-
http://www.spine-health.com/research...chnique01.html
http://www.chiroweb.com/archives/19/20/03.html
http://www.1stchoiceonline.com/index...=1&pageID=8917

I would give it a try and see if you get results- as long as it doesn't hurt or make anything worse, which it doesn't seem that it would.

The treatment that I received from a chiropractor was one of the critical parts of my recovery. If you believe that the dysfunction if the sympathetic nervous system is as a result of the hypomobility or tightness of the thoracic spine then a chiro will surely help. When I saw a musculo skeletal doctor who said that I had T4 syndrome( this is just like TOS, they just notice that the thoracic spine is tight also),he recommended that I see a Chiro. I have been seeing one since, first weekly now fortnightly. If you can see a chiro who can perform dry needling into muscles this will be even better. I am positive that a tight thoracic spine and the subsequent reaction of the rib cage ( rib cage theory) is one of the body’s reactions which need reversing ( the other is shoulder girdle stability) to be able to achieve normality. The dry needling is really weird, tiny needles (same needles as acupuncture) are placed into muscles. When it is placed into a muscle which is in spasm there is tingling feeling similar to when you put a 9volt battery on your tongue. The feeling after treatment is fantastic. A relaxed ribcage is the result. goodluck

I am hoping this might help...I have learned never to get my hopes up too quick. I had seen a chiro before - but on my first meeting with him he claimed he could 'cure' my TOS. This guy was a lot mroe relaxed...he said he could no doubt help with the tightness in my t-spine, etc...I get a LOT of pain in my shoulder blade area...and t-spine, so I figure I have nothing to lose.

My neck has been in spasm for days...I have been cautioned against letting a chiro do adjustments to my neck - any words of wisdom here?

I have been going to mine once a month since mid 04 and have had no neck problems from adjustments { he is very gentle and precise with any adjustment and very good - IMO}. No grab and crack with him!
{avoid those types}

I think it really depends on the chiropractor and his technique/skill level as well as his care, caution and concern.

And of course they shouldn't adjust before seeing recent xrays - to be on the safe side that no problems are showing there.

Maybe ask that he adjust other places if you are concerned - until you feel confidant and can relax.
- mine won't do the adjustment if he feels like I am tensed up,he waits a few seconds or says something to me - usually I'm thinking about other things and not relaxing.