I am new here, and have been suffering with with something off and on for a year. I am 38 (female) and until last year was healthy and physically active.

It all started with what I thought was a pulled muscle - upper back just to the right of my spine. Over days the pain moved into my neck and I had problems turning my head to the left or right without having a sharp pain in my right upper back/shoulder area. When the pain eased up in my back, it then moved to my chest. first the right upper side and then the left. Thats when I got scared and went to the dr. the first time. I was diagnosed with a "pulled muscle" and given muscle relaxers and a steroid pack. After a couple of weeks my back felt better, but my chest still hurt and my arm was achy and felt heavy. Sometimes it would tingle. Another trip to the dr. got me MRIs, cervical and thoracic. Thoracic showed minimal degenerative disc disease at T7-8, T8-9. Cervical showed the same at C5-6 and C6-7 with a small disc protrusion at 6-7. Also noted was a mild dextrscoliosis of the c-spine. My dr. said none of this would cause the symptoms I described.
This time I was diagnosed with possible reflux. I finally "healed" after about 8-10 weeks.

My second episode happened about three months later. This time pain started in my arm pit for a few days before moving to to my shoulder and upper right chest. Headaches followed with pain at the base of my neck, and again moving down my spine to that same spot on my upper back just to the right of my spine. My right arm would feel as though it was asleep at times. Sometimes it just ached around my elbow. This episode lasted about 6 weeks with no trip to the dr.

Third and most recent happening now. Started with pain at the base of my skull progressing to headaches sometimes into my ear and then to shoulder (same spot just to the right of my upper spine). Achy, heavy, tingling arm and a nagging ache in my armpit. No chest pain with this episode. After almost three weeks the pain in my shoulder was so severe, I started researching and came across a TOS website and found info on the white hand sign. I did it and MY RIGHT HAND TURNED WHITE after about 90 seconds. I went to a different dr. told him everything and he says bursitis...???? He did give me a steroid shot in my hip yesterday and I am feeling better today.

Should I investigate this further or be satisfied with what he said?? Most all of my symptoms affect my right side only. I need answers...I have 4 children including a 14 month old and this is really interfering with my quality of life....

Hi T,

I always have more questions LOL.

What kind of work or activities do you do?

Any falls, car accidents, whiplash etc to upper body at any time {even yrs ago}
If so how do you feel about chiropractic? an expert only of course , or perhaps an expert/advance PT.

Do you recall what you might have done to bring on the flares, sometimes we have delayed pain - hrs to a day after an activity.

It sounds like you are experiencing some effects of trigger points.

next I'll post our useful info sticky thread - it's full of saved and very good info - post # 1 is like a crash course for TOS {and related conditions} with various therapies , so be sure to check it first.
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread84.html

dr & PT info sticky -
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread135.html

Nice to meet you I hope we can help you get relief soon.

Hi there,

I am someone that has TOS as well as a cervical problem. It has taken me a long time to distinguish between the two in terms of what is causing my pain at the moment. For me, the two are connected.

If your doc is not amenable to investigating further I would try to see an ortho (thats who first dx my TOS) or a spine guy.

An MRI is great but sometimes when lying static they cannot see what goes wrong when you are moving.

Ask your doc or the new doc for a flexion extension x-ray of your cervical spine. That way they can see if there is a subluxation or bone spur that is pressing on any nerves.

Also ask for an EMG to see what nerves may possibly be affected.

Also ask you doc to do the test (I forgot the name) where they hold up your arm and take your pulse. If is disappears while up that could indicate TOS but it alone should not be the only test.

And last ask if you might do a physical therapy session with someone familar with TOS and neck issues.

Good luck.

Oh I forgot to ask about your posture???
esp upper body, but the whole is an important thing to be aware of also.

shoulders hunched or rolled forward?
head forward of the body?
one shoulder higher, lower or tilted- same with hips

I have tilted/uneven shoulder, hips, ribcage - I remember when I started wearing 2 pc swimsuits as a kid- my ribs weren't even then.
not obvious to everyone but to me it was.
I may have had this tilted thing since birth..
I was also a tomboy and played backyard sports, rode horse, motorcycles, jumped out of trees and off roofs- so all those probably aggravated any minor spine things.
Landed on my head one time @ age 15 - mild concussion.

Then turning 40 and doing repetitive work for 10 hr days for many yrs - not a good thing.

I believe that test is called Allen Test check this website out.....http://www.nismat.org/ptcor/thoracic_outlet
good info there

Other testing would be a Doppler ultrasound of your armpit area to see if your blood vessels are involved. If you have changing colours of your hands chances are there could be vascular involvement.
best of luck with your searching. It took me about 15 doctors till I got a neurologist who know what he was doing and understood all of my issues....a long 3 year battle...but it paid off. I got sent to a surgeon and had the treatment necessary for my TOS.

Always remember we are all totally different even though the same name is on the syndrome. We all suffer in different ways but usually in the same spots and usually with activity and things that trigger our pain!!!
Good luck!
hugs,
Victoria