Test to comfir, TOS ?
 

Hi there everyone ! I had a regular MRI amd then an MRA with the dye contrast and after 3 years, that test showed a subclavian compression in the neck on the right side... Hope that helps..

Bumping up for more symptoms to be listed.
I think the list is really helpful for newbies or any of us that get some new thing happening.

I still have most of the symptoms mentioned in the first post of this thread even though I've already had a first rib resection.
Don't have sweaty or white hands and no headaches.
Post surgery I've had a pinching feeling in my armpit that after several minutes feels like a bee sting. Usually only lasts 10 minutes all together.
Pain, like someone gave me a noogie (no clue how to spell that) on the upper right/center of my chest. Comes and goes.
Increased weakness. I usually hand wash dishes but seem to be having more trouble holding on to slippery, soapy dishes. Basically minimal grip strength.
Ulner nerve has been going beserk.
Burning in forearm and pain in wrist. Again, post surgery problem.
:) :grouphug:

Here's Me
 

Symptoms before surgery

Severe swelling and blueness in left hand
Weekness in hand especially ring and little finger
Pain in chest on left side (worse at night)
ache in left shoulder and down forearm
fine motor skills messed up
couldn't concentrate on anything
lightheadedness off and on
depression

Meds:

Took Neurotin for about a year
Ambien to sleep
Zanaflex
Given two injections in neck(did no good)
6 months of PT
Tens unit daily

Surgery(1st rib and scalene muscle removed (9-05)

Symptoms after surgery

Problems at times with tightness in muscle at shoulder blade
Toothache feelings in shoulder at times
Still have fine motor skills problems, but not as bad as before

Meds:
Soma(muscle relaxant) only when needed

Things that help:

Hot baths and showers
Walking(keeping active)
Streches
Resting when I know I need to
light massages

Peggy

okay, finally...
 

I'm going to tackle this. Right now!!

For now, I will post my post my post decompression surgery symptoms...

1. Pain and very tight muscles in my neck.
2. Burning pain from the left side of my neck down into my elbow and hand. Cramping in both forearms. Hurts to straighten fingers.
3. Hands that are constantly cold and have a mottled apearence or turn purpleish.
4. Numbness in both hands especially the ring and baby finger. Lack of fine motor skills in fingers.
5.Tingling feeling in my neck, shoulder's and arms and hands.
6.Pain in scapula area, starts with pinching, then tightness and burning. Can evolve to a knife like piercing sensation.
7.A dull ache especially my left shoulder, also my left chest area. Can evolve into a intense, sharp, excruciating pain that has in the past led me to believe that I was having a heart attack.
8.I have to fight hard to continue to use my left arm because of the pain and weakness and I am left handed.
9.Both arms feel tired, heavy,akward, clumsy because of pain and or weakness
10.headaches that last for days. Sometimes I can't tolerate noise, as in speech, the phone ringing, talking on the phone, light, for days. I will usually spend that time in bed. Maxalt helps some. These headaches usually come when I have overdone, not paced myself.(Usually due to mandatory Attorney/w/c/ appts. QME's, as in stress, and pushing beyond my abilities)
11. Difficulty swallowing at times
12. Activity with hands or arms reaching at any level, carrying, pushing/pulling, sitting for pro-longed periods,repetitive neck movement, bending down at the waist, looking down are very limited and if over done will send me to bed for days.

Things that help:
hot baths
very gentle stretching to open my chest area up
posture related stretches
changing position
laying down flat on my back with my moshi pillow supporting my neck
icepaks
pacing my activities, while avoiding some all together
Peter Edglow protocol
Neurontin
Norco
MS contin
diazapam


Things that hurt and I don't do Anymore:

driving
laundry, folding etc
carrying (anything over 3 to 5 lbs. )
lifting (some days even a glass or cup)
vaccuming or dusting,doing dishes... basically any house cleaning
washing and blowdrying my hair, my hubby helps, hubby cuts it as well as it's too hard to get it cut professionally, too painful...
I wear make-up-only on rare ocassions
shopping isn't fun any more
no more gardening :Bawling:


If it weren't for my dear husband, my parents,my oldest son, my daughter in law (his Wife) and my dear friends, both here and "out there" I'd go crazy.

I don't feel like I have a life anymore. There is so little I can do, so little that remains of "Me".

Most people don't know how to respond when I say I can't do.... ( you fill in the blank) They tell me I look so healthy, and will push me to try things. Which just frustrates and hurts me all the more.

I guess that is it for now...Hope this can help others!!!

G ~ :)

Now I realize that I've had some of the symptoms for ~1.5 yrs. It started with:
-Left arm swelling
-Left arm pain
-Left hand changing color
- Dull ache that changes to sharp pain in shoulder blade area
- I actually went to the doc so he could check my cholesterol, BP, etc to
be sure that I wasn't having a heart attack. TOS never crossed anyone's
mind.
- Left shoulder pain - I had SLAP lesion repaired in 3/2006. So, I think that
the shoulder injury pain masked TOS pain, but can't be sure. I also had a
nerve block (I believe of the BP, they did it on my neck/shoulder area to
numb my whole arm)
- Then I started to notice the numbness/tingly feeling in my arm, which pretty
much everyone attributed to the shoulder surgery.
- My entire arm continued to hurt, the numbness spread from pinkie/ring finger
to my entire hand
- The NEWEST addition to my list is the "choking/tight shirt" pain at the base
of the neck (i think thats the scalenes acting up).
- I also recently noticed that typing is harder and that it feels like I'm losing
some dexterity in my left hand.
THINGS THAT GIVE ME RELIEF:
- exercise (the elliptical at the gym b/c it is low impact and you don't have to
swing your arms. Helps both physically and mentally
- nerve blocks (Brachial plexus block in my arm) & trigger point injections
- goosebump (spikey balls) between my back and the wall
- GENTLE streching
- Keppra (anti-convulsant for the nerve pain)
- Hydrocodone/Apap
- Focused relaxation (i.e. from "Managing pain..." or if you've had a child and
used the Bradley Method, the relaxation techniques used there help too.
- Staying busy - whether it be work or a hobby, keeping your mind occupied
seems to help by not letting me focus on my pain.
- Our nightly chats - keep me laughing .... LWN!
- Heating pad
Sorry to ramble....hope this helps, even just a little

I've noticed a few people say they have a choking sensation or a tight feeling in the neck....I wanted to comment on that. I had a level 2 fusion and have a metal plate in my neck now and thought at first before I was dx w/TOS it was from the plate but now I believe it's from the TOS.....Thks for the postings....I'm not crazy afterall

Ann

Well, I can feel typing going downhill by the second, but will try to post an answer here!

Symptoms started within a few weeks following a car accident (with a drunk driver :mad: )...had shoulder surgery after a few months, with SLAP lesion repair, reconstruction of some torn ligaments, and several other repairs to the joint. Also have sternoclavicular instability, which contributes to TOS problem, as well as damaged scalenes, and may have some direct brachial plexus injury.

Also had a two-level fusion last August, C5-7; had hoped for more improvement in arm/TOS symptoms. Didn't relieve any of that, but did help with neck spasms and headaches.

-Stabbing pain under left shoulder blade; worsens with pressure against the shoulder blade, such as leaning back in a chair.
-Pain and tightness in traps on left
-Pain and lots of swelling above clavicle (this is where the pain is usually worst)
-Clavicular instability--rotates up and forward, and that causes pain all across clavicle and to sternoclavicular joint
-Deep achey pain in upper arm, with muscle knots
-Pain in left side of neck
-Numbness along outer arm and into left hand; this started with the ring and pinkey fingers but now is entire hand. Numbness and clumsiness worsen with activity (such as typing!), and ANY fine motor work with left hand. Fine motor activity also causes a lot of pain in bp area above clavicle.
-Numbness across back of shoulder to side of neck
-Numbness in left side of face, along with some eye twitching and occasional droopiness of eyelid on that side when things are really flared.
-Recently, occasional hot/burning feeling along outside of elbow and upper arm; sometimes my whole arm feels warm, both inside and to the touch.
-Muscle spasms along outer arm/elbow area, and sometimes across shoulder/neck area
-Fingers on that hand want to curl, especially when in a bad flare. Straightening them causes pain in bp area and hand. Also turning my hand supine (palm up) is usually very uncomfortable.

Things that worsen:
-Everything? Well, almost any use of left arm worsens things, but especially fine motor work with my hand; typing is also getting increasingly difficult. Folding laundry, ironing, sewing (sold my sewing machine :( ), any pushing/pulling motion, anything involving using my arm in front or to the left side, such as holding a tomato to slice it, etc. Of course, overhead activities with left arm are out. Lifting as well, usually even as much as a coffee cup.
-Letting my arm hang without support, either sitting, standing, or walking. Ugh!
-Driving (although yesterday I actually went out! Drove! Visited friends! Felt okay! Paying for it today, but I so enjoyed it!)
-Doctor's exams!!!
-Delayed pain is pretty common, although lately the delay seems shorter, and sometimes nonexistent.


Things that help:
-Stopping the activity. I don't work outside the home; I'm very grateful for that, as there's NO WAY I would be able to. Many days (especially lately) even keeping up with the meals and housework have been difficult or impossible; my family's taken over a lot of this.
-Sometimes massage helps, but usually makes things worse.
-Pain meds, Zanaflex
-I think a hot tub would help if I had one! Still hoping!
-Lying down with pillows to prop arm on
-Pillow in lap, or armrests to keep support under my arm. I also have straps sewn into my clothes for a "sling" when I'm up and about.
-I've tried some gentle TOS stretches; sometimes it seems to help, sometimes not, and sometimes makes things worse. Seems like it helps most when there's a lot of muscle tightness (makes sense!)

Gotta stop...Take care, all! :hug:

Hairdresser ,
I Noticed You Said You Have Eye Pain. Mine Is So Severe It Keeps Me Up At Night Along With My Neck And Shoulders. It's So Bad I Can't Even Think Straight. My Eye Sockets Even Hurt. I Have All These Symptoms I've Read In The Other Post. I Hope , When I Have These Extra Ribs Removed It Gets Alot Better. I Wish You Well.
Cheryl

everything thats listed above is true for myself,there is a few thats not listed that i would be happy to put.
1/teeth very sensetive
2/very uncordinated walking but not constantly
3/head starts bobbing when on a high scale pain
4/blood pressure changes from laying down and getting up
5/showers are not a good idea the pressure beating on spine causes body to start shaking.
6/electric heaters are a trigger for enhancing pain
7/sensativity to light too bright