Hello Group,

My name is April and I am looking for more information on TOS.
I have two extra cervical ribs which have caused me problems on and off through my life. I have seen a chiropractor for about 18 years who was incredible, but he passed away last summer. Now I have something new, a crunching in the neck, along with the numbness down my left arm, and the usual headaches. I went to a new doctor, an osteopath, and he didn’t do any adjustment at all he just sent me home with several bottles of pain meds and muscle relaxers. They are also giving me an MRI on Friday.
I took 1/2 of one of those flexerile and it took me out for 2 days. There is no way I could follow his advice of 3 flexerile a day, the anti inflammatory, and vicodin on top of it. I would be comatose and drooling in my chair. I work 50 hours a week and in my job I am required to be on the ball and sharp witted. I can’t take daily meds like that.
Tell me, of those of you with TOS what other than meds has helped?
Are there any exercises, or massage, or anything that works?
I noticed when I took the flexerile the numbness in my left arm was worse.
They said they could remove the ribs surgically, but I could have partial paralysis and that’s just not worth it to me.

What has helped you folks deal with it and yet function in every day life?
My activities at work seem to make it worse, such as sitting at a bench or the computer for long periods of time. Are there any exercises specific to this disorder? Are there any people on disability for it? Are there any support groups?



April
delmarkleekai.com

Hello and welcome {can I shorten your name to -happy?}
I have had great help from a very good chiro also.

Is there anyway you can search around and find another great one?

One thing is - the body postures of being at a computer or desk for long hours and yrs - your whole body begins to change to those postures.
the sitting posture - the muscles will over time shorten in the back of the legs and in the front of the body, and the upper body will begin to round forward. { shoulders hunch or round along with a forward head position}

There are many links up in our sticky list of ergo, therapies, alternative- tons of stuff- plus try the search feature for info too.
stickys-
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/showthread.php?t=84
seach-
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/fo...to_forumsearch

Plus you have the extra whammy of the extra c ribs- crowding the area.
Please- Don't consider surgery with anyone but a expert top doc!

But if chiropractic was working for you before finding another good one may work again.

I'll add more later but have to get my cooking done for Turkey dinner

nice to meet you!

Hi April, welcome to the forum but so sorry to hear about the c-ribs.
However, if you are going to have TOS, and there is anomolie, it is much better diagx and treated. I don't know who told you removeing the ribs would result in paralysis, but that is not the norm. Many have been here on the forum and had the c-ribs removed. The doctors do state some complications.

However, you say about working 50 hours aweek.
I had a friend on the forum that worked about that many in a bank. She had to take a leave. But, she had her TOS go into remission. Not cured, but managable and lived a whole different life. I could not go back to law enforcement and retrained working minimal hours and also on social security. But, I have avoided surgery, and manageble pain.

Unfortunatly, we either manage our TOS or it will manage us. As my friend Mark Jordan stated. He lives with TOS about 20 years now.
You may have to take some time off to get better, you may have to change how you do things at work. Some O.T. can evalute your work area, software, chair and workstaions positions to help.

A chiro I used did a non agressive (he did not crack my neck) He used a thing that zinged. It gave me some stress a few hours but after that the nerves calmed down. The most help he gave was pressure point deep pressure and work the knots and spasms. All along the spine and traps. I found a PT that did a much better job then he did. She took at least 45 minutes where the chiro couldn't.

I had moist heat packs, ultra sound sometimes and good trigger point massage. I di aqua therapy in the heated pool too. Just having some range of motion and then floaties on me to lay in the wate to float wieghtless and warmth to my bones. I also bought a hot tub as the one at PT was so helpful to realese spasms and pain. I also have trigger point injections in the traps.

My neck is so tight in spasms I get the crunchies too. But, I had a huge knife in the area above my wing and up into my skull a knot with pain i the head. A last ESI I ahd managed that wonderfully. i never expected, but am thrilled with the relief I had. I was in ER level pain and no longer.

I take valium 5 mg a day for muscle spasms, much better muscle relaxant then flexeral. I can break them in half or take 10 for a bad day, higher activity.
I hope you find some helpful ideas and someone to help reduce your symptoms.
Dianne

I have seen Drs that were posted in threads that were not covered under the Drs. Sticky List at the top of the thread page... it is difficult to find/monitor all threads for new doctors that need to be added to this list and I ask if you would send this info. directly to me via. a PM to DDayMBB,
when doing so I ask that you provide Drs, name, specialty, address, phone number and E-mail address if known thank you DDayMBB it would make it quicker and easier to get it up on the board quicker also one other request is to make sure the Dr or PT you want added is not already up on the board, unless there is a change of address, phone number etc. again please PM this info. to DDayMBB


~~~Mark-n-Goober~~~

bumping up