[superjeans]

Hi,

I've been having symptoms for the last 14 months.. they drive me mad and the Doctors just say I am anxious... Thats because my symptoms are subtle and often mostly absent when I visit them.

Heres my info:

Triggers

Big meals
Stress... not 100% sure about this one.. maybe anxiety doesnt help
Bad posture
Usually an evening thing.

Symptoms

· Weak, aching arms. Mostly left arm but occasionally right. When arms in this state difficulty with manual labour.
· Cold arm, occasional numbness
· Cant lift telephone to ear for more than a few minutes
· Angina like pain in chest at any time
· Stiff shoulders (suspect bad posture, lack of movement)
· Inflammation around collar bone – general feeling of swollen shoulder and collar.
· Can press nerve in centre of collar bone and it radiates down to chest where angina symptoms occur, and down arm. Nerve feels sensitive when angina symptoms bad.
· Can see heart beating in my neck and collar
· Leg pain?? Suspect different

Things that it doesn’t stop me doing (but doesn't help)

Running, football, exercise. I do get occasional shoulder blade pain after prolonged running but suspect not related. Go to gym twice a weak and play football twice a week. Drinking alcohol.

Treatment to Date

Chiropracter – sorted some temporary neck pain but not main problem

Tests Carried Out

MRI of neck – C4 slightly trapped but nothing bad apparently.
EMG – textbook
ECG – twice – both textbook
Chest X-Ray for thoracic rib – Negative. It was normal.

[(Broken Wings)]

I would look for a good neurologist and cardiothoracic surgeon close to your area. go far if you have to. misdiagnosis is expensive too. This is a tricky condition to find yourself with.

I read a lot of posts and I know exactly what they're talking about. it could be TOS and/or now PMS (pectoralis minor syndrome) which I realize now I've had that too, thanks to this forum.

As for your MRI, it's still an abnormal finding. It can cause you problems. Be glad you don't have more.

Your symptoms sound familiar too. If you're able to play football twice a week, you get the toughman award.

Originally Posted by superjeans

Hi,

I've been having symptoms for the last 14 months.. they drive me mad and the Doctors just say I am anxious... Thats because my symptoms are subtle and often mostly absent when I visit them.

Heres my info:

Triggers

Big meals
Stress... not 100% sure about this one.. maybe anxiety doesnt help
Bad posture
Usually an evening thing.

Symptoms

· Weak, aching arms. Mostly left arm but occasionally right. When arms in this state difficulty with manual labour.
· Cold arm, occasional numbness
· Cant lift telephone to ear for more than a few minutes
· Angina like pain in chest at any time
· Stiff shoulders (suspect bad posture, lack of movement)
· Inflammation around collar bone – general feeling of swollen shoulder and collar.
· Can press nerve in centre of collar bone and it radiates down to chest where angina symptoms occur, and down arm. Nerve feels sensitive when angina symptoms bad.
· Can see heart beating in my neck and collar
· Leg pain?? Suspect different

Things that it doesn’t stop me doing (but doesn't help)

Running, football, exercise. I do get occasional shoulder blade pain after prolonged running but suspect not related. Go to gym twice a weak and play football twice a week. Drinking alcohol.

Treatment to Date

Chiropracter – sorted some temporary neck pain but not main problem

Tests Carried Out

MRI of neck – C4 slightly trapped but nothing bad apparently.
EMG – textbook
ECG – twice – both textbook
Chest X-Ray for thoracic rib – Negative. It was normal.

[Jomar]

what kind of work do you do?
have you had any hard hits during football or car accidents/whiplash?

Improving your posture is a simple thing to work on , that might help a bit.

The visible pulse beating is something to get checked out possibly a vascular type of doc. {Heavy, swelling, cold arms}

Improper form at the gym, or working to overdevelop the traps or other neck muscles can cause impingements by crowding the brachial plex area.

did you find out useful sticky thread yet - it's loaded with info - post # 1 is a crash course full of links.
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread84.html
dr & PT sticky-
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread135.html

[superjeans]

wow, two replies already! The sign of a succesful forum.

I work in IT, stuck at a desk all day. Symptoms started 4 months after starting the job - I was working in a lab on my feet a bit more before. As for the football - I'm talking "soccer" to you guys (you know, proper football... ).

I'm extremely lucky - I live in the UK and therefore all my healthcare is free on the NHS. I went to see the doc again today.. I asked to be referred to a physio which they have done. In the meantime I'm going to work at posture. Docs in the UK only seem to know about cervical rib as a cause for TOS. Slightly sweeping statement but not too far offI suspect.

This PMS looks interesting... so a small operation can sort it (or help)? My symptomsare very odd - individually they don't cause too much hastle, but as a whole and when it lingers, it can be a real test on the mind to stay positive. The angina like stuff and the weak arm is worst...

Can I ask another question - is it unusual for symptoms to become worse when hungover? Not that I do that very often - once in a blue moon but the following day is usually a bad day....

[(Broken Wings)]

Originally Posted by superjeans

wow, two replies already! The sign of a succesful forum.

I work in IT, stuck at a desk all day. Symptoms started 4 months after starting the job - I was working in a lab on my feet a bit more before. As for the football - I'm talking "soccer" to you guys (you know, proper football... ).

I'm extremely lucky - I live in the UK and therefore all my healthcare is free on the NHS. I went to see the doc again today.. I asked to be referred to a physio which they have done. In the meantime I'm going to work at posture. Docs in the UK only seem to know about cervical rib as a cause for TOS. Slightly sweeping statement but not too far offI suspect.

This PMS looks interesting... so a small operation can sort it (or help)? My symptomsare very odd - individually they don't cause too much hastle, but as a whole and when it lingers, it can be a real test on the mind to stay positive. The angina like stuff and the weak arm is worst...

Can I ask another question - is it unusual for symptoms to become worse when hungover? Not that I do that very often - once in a blue moon but the following day is usually a bad day....

Yes, hung over will make your more symptomatic. You didn't rest and you were not aware of the positions and stress and strains you placed on your ooie parts. If you could stay at the "I can't feel any pain point" I'd be drunk all the time, or drinking to that point to maintain although I have found 1 to 2 coolers relaxes me enough to get a little better sleep. I don't do that too often either. come to think of it, I don't know why not

it's great you can get free medical care.

Read other threads as time permits. You will find much helpful info and funny stories, sad ones too.

[Jomar]

LOL you can still get some hard hits in soccer

doesn't heavy drinking tend to dehydrate?

keeping well hydrated is a very positive thing.
re: sticky tissues and build up of nasty gunk in the body...
see lymph system info in the sticky thread

see info about laying on floor or rolled towel or foam roller or inflatable exercise ball.. to let shoulders drop down and back with gravity - we spend so much time with head or shoulders forward of the body ...
these things counter act that in a gentle way.
a link-
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/post87845-19.html

[superjeans]

Originally Posted by Jo*mar

LOL you can still get some hard hits in soccer

doesn't heavy drinking tend to dehydrate?

keeping well hydrated is a very positive thing.
re: sticky tissues and build up of nasty gunk in the body...
see lymph system info in the sticky thread

see info about laying on floor or rolled towel or foam roller or inflatable exercise ball.. to let shoulders drop down and back with gravity - we spend so much time with head or shoulders forward of the body ...
these things counter act that in a gentle way.
a link-

My main problem is that I convince myself it's my heart... I have written below why I convince myself that is my heart:

Aching / numbing arm and chest pains do come on, quite often after eating unhealthy meals.(But with these symptoms I can then go and play football, go for a walk, etc). The other thing is that I occasionally get the symptoms without the associated inflammation around the shoulder - usually the weak arm.

I am 30 years old, 12 stone in weight, I have led a fairly healthy lifestyle and never been really overweight. I spend 10 years at uni and worked and played very hard (going clubbing 5 nights a week at my worst..) and got involved in some chemistry research where I was a bit stupid and probably inhaled some pretty nasty stuff (rare earth heavy elements, lanthanides). Oh.. I mean proper chemistry not recreational drugs!

So thats why I'm a bit messed up in the head... you have no idea how happy I am now I can talk to people who understand!

Last night was typical... Cooked a nice meal (not very healthy) for the wife, and had some champagne and wine(valentines day).. Throughout the evening my inflammation was flaring, and my arm going weak and recovering again. This morning I woke - inflammation apparently gone but my arm was feeling weak and a bit numb. Sat on the couch had a strong coffee and some toast and the inflammation kicked off again!

My leg goes a bit numb as well - this has been getting proressively worse - it aches quite bad sometimes after excercise. I do have spondylosis at the base of my spine which could be attributed to this. Anyone else have side effects in the legs?

Thanks again everyone for reading and listening. Its so important right now for me.

[(Broken Wings)]

You're a good man, making Valentine's Day special for your wife. I'm sure she appreciates it.

...but when I would make a nice meal, it would exacerbate my symptoms to the max. I could get through the cooking part and wouldn't be able to enjoy with my family. bummer... made our friends and family feel uneasy at times because I would be crumpled up in my nest, apparently looking very painwrecked. My arms were killing me. I love to cook. You see the problem?

I'm doing much better nowadays. last year enjoyed gardening again... not without pain but I did enjoy it. Gardening is backbreaking work in itself. It was good for me. I paced myself and did what I could. Actually had a good garden. Did some canning. It's good stuff. Fresh... ummm

I do have right leg issues. I have low back issues and neck issues that could be causing that, I assume, and many doctors gave me that impression. Stretches, Yoga, traction, E-stim , Kineso Tape, hot showers and light therapy help leg issues for me. NOT walking on the treadmill. I still did that though, for the rest of my body. Treadmill increased leg pain tremendously. Hurt for days... and days ran into the next treadmill exercise. Could only tolerate 20 minutes for several years. then worked up to 30 for years. Now I'm going 45+, faster, getting in more miles, without leg pain. Doesn't keep me up at night. (Holding my breath) I'm very thankful for that relief. still can't do concrete and steps without issues happening to my spine. I'm working on that

Keeping asking

Originally Posted by superjeans

My main problem is that I convince myself it's my heart... I have written below why I convince myself that is my heart:

Aching / numbing arm and chest pains do come on, quite often after eating unhealthy meals.(But with these symptoms I can then go and play football, go for a walk, etc). The other thing is that I occasionally get the symptoms without the associated inflammation around the shoulder - usually the weak arm.

I am 30 years old, 12 stone in weight, I have led a fairly healthy lifestyle and never been really overweight. I spend 10 years at uni and worked and played very hard (going clubbing 5 nights a week at my worst..) and got involved in some chemistry research where I was a bit stupid and probably inhaled some pretty nasty stuff (rare earth heavy elements, lanthanides). Oh.. I mean proper chemistry not recreational drugs!

So thats why I'm a bit messed up in the head... you have no idea how happy I am now I can talk to people who understand!

Last night was typical... Cooked a nice meal (not very healthy) for the wife, and had some champagne and wine(valentines day).. Throughout the evening my inflammation was flaring, and my arm going weak and recovering again. This morning I woke - inflammation apparently gone but my arm was feeling weak and a bit numb. Sat on the couch had a strong coffee and some toast and the inflammation kicked off again!

My leg goes a bit numb as well - this has been getting proressively worse - it aches quite bad sometimes after excercise. I do have spondylosis at the base of my spine which could be attributed to this. Anyone else have side effects in the legs?

Thanks again everyone for reading and listening. Its so important right now for me.

[ajibag]

Hi,
I have nearly the same symptoms, I guess. My arms also got weeker some time ago and the weekness doesn't seem to bet getting away, aching after some heavier physical lifting, major difficulties in holding a phone while talking on it, some occosional numbness, you name it. However, I also have head dizzyness. When I was diagnosed with TOS (last August) I had only pumping out veins on my neck after lifting my right arm and when the rest of the symptoms accured, I went to see a neurologist (in the begnining of this month) and now I'm waiting for head MRI since the doctor suspects something else. Of course, that wasn't said to me directly, but I've read that on some of the papers she has filled. That "something" would also include weekness of legs but I don't have this symptom so far, so I'd probably reccomend you to have this test too...

[TraceyW]

hey,

glad you have found neuro talk!! A wealth of support and info from fellow suffers is essential with TOS (or any type of chronic pain!)

i am 27 years old and live in UK (london) - have had symptoms for 4 years now - i have seen a rheumatologist, neurologist and now a pain consultant (who recognises tos as a condition that isnt just due to cervical ribs!....yes i have had my share that have said that as i have no cervical ribs i cant have tos!!)
tos is often not testable in the traditional sense - eg, nerve studies, mri's are often normal and is often diagosed based on symptoms. gp's are of little use i found as they dont appreciate this condition - i started sourcing out my own dr's, speaking to their secretarys to see how much of TOS they have seen and treated. also as of april 2008 we can request a referral to ANY hospital in the UK....so if u feel there is someone 25 miles away who can help you then you can be referred!

if u can feel a pulse if your collar bone area then u really need to be checked out by a vascular surgeon - they should perform a doppler ultrasound with your arms in positions that bring on your symptoms....anything where your just lying flat or in just one position is not usually going to identifiy anything

on the right hand side i have collar bone pain and wasteage - pain up into the front of the neck and sometimes down into my chest - this is pec minor related (pec minor syndrome is a condition that can be linked with tos) I also have shoulder blade pain - pain in arm - pain in liitle finger and tremor - heavy, tired arm, weak neck and muscle wastege in thenar eminence (wrist on thumb side) and padded part of thumb is flattened out.

im not sure what the cause of my probs was - fell down some stairs 6 months prior to symptoms - worked in an office for 3 years before symptoms started so it could be a combo of these factors!

pain cons im seeing is dr chris jenner (he works privately out of The London Pain Consultants) and also at st marys hospital london

all the best

tracey