In my case with the hypermobility, I found that when my neck, shoulder, upper back or pecs get overworked and tight- or way overworked and into spasms -it will pull my spine out of alignment.

So he works on the muscles first to relax them and get rid of any triggerpoints {ultrasound, stim or low level laser}, then checks for any adjustments that might be needed.
I do the posture, muscle stim, heating pad, stretching stuff at home to maintain.

I doesn't cure - just makes life more comfortable for some.
I just wished it worked for more of you.

Having the right chiroprator makes the difference.....just like any of the other professionals that we all see...........

Some people on here praise their pain clinics. My experience at the pain clinic was horrendous. The anesthesiologist there basically said the problem was "all in my head" asside from some mild cervical arthritis. He did a facet joint block, which had no effect, and then was actually pissy to me because I was denying results. I get achy and a heavy feeling over my collarbone and up to my face, but my pain is all in back....like a burning golf ball to the left of my spine. He informed me that there was no way that I had TOS because my pain was in back, not in front. It took a lot of pressure from my husband to have him reveal that he actually never treated a TOS patient (but he knows that I don't have it...., sure)

Some people on here rave about their physiatrists. Mine called me a malingerer and told me to "suck it up and work through the pain."

My chiro has been a godsend ! Of course he can't "fix" TOS......nothing is going to make that crimped brachial plexus substantially more roomy except surgery. What he can , and does do, is cervical traction (makes it worse for some, but helps me a lot), electrical muscle stim to relax the muscle spasms, massage, and spinal adjustments (cracks) to get my stuck vertabrae gliding better. I have do have a lot of cervical and thoracic issues too. If he can loosen that up, there will be less muscle spasms. Spasming/inflammed muscles are going to add more pressure to the cramped bp area.

Best of luck finding a formula that works for you

i'm feeling really frustrated now that i went in to the 2nd appt today to view my films and findings w/this new chiropractor. Also because they want me to devote a lot of time and they would charge me $42/visit beyond what my Medicare insurance pays them. It may be worth it but not affordable at this point especially if I need close to a hundred visits.

I've had neck issues for many years and now that i've had TOS for the past several yrs my spine is really out of whack. My PT and this chiro think this is part of the neck to TOS...progression but neither has seen advanced cases like mine. I have lost curves now in my neck and the thoracic spine and besides the stuck ribs many of my vertebrae are tilting, twisting, building osteophytes, etc. My spine from top to bottom looks a mess. I can certainly see where my spinal headaches are coming from. And the misalignment is what's causing me knee-hip pain which also interferes with physical activity.

Does it make sense that the neck leads to TOS and then to to more spinal issues? Are others suffering from this? (I do also have the hypermobility/ligament laxity component which came before everything else.)

My goal is to get strong enough to have the 1st rib removal surgery w/o cuasing the bad headaches I'm enduring after a much more minor surgery and to be as physically fit as possible so that I can recover more quickly and more fully. My PT thinks this is wise too but it is hard to see what a long road I've been on and how messed up my body seems now. I'm trying to stay positive and be grateful for small gains but it is a hard lesson to learn.


Thx and good point finz. i too have had crappy luck w/physiatrists and pain clinics but good luck w/past neurologist and a few PTs. I think chiropractic care is fine if one finds the right match. One thing my PT has said is to make sure I don't endure a lot of pain--I can take a lot but my body reacts greatly in flare and spasm. This chiro recs Shiatsu which I think would be very bad for my current body.

I have been known to say that chiropractic care has been a turning point in my recovery. I was having a lot of pain in my thoracic and cervical spine - the thoracic stuff has diminished a lot while I am still having a lot of neck pain. My chiropractor is young - just out of school to be exact, but he is very patient and very knowledgeable...he takes the time, asks questions, documents everything and I know this clinic to hire very very good people (PT, MT, Chiro, etc).

For me my appts consist of minor adjustments, some traction and ART. He also experiments with Graston Technique but ART seems to be working better. I started off going 3x a week and now I am going 1x a week after 3 months.

In my experience, how I got along with the chiropractor makes a big difference in my treatment. If I am tense or don't feel like I can trust the person then I don't seem to respond well - makes sense right? I have seen a chiropractor who told me he could cure TOS - haha! I think their understanding of the condition and their dedication into working with you makes a big difference.

Good luck - I hope you find someone who will work with you and for you.