So sick of this!, my stupid arm(s)... Options

[95gtschick]

K... about 5 years ago when i was playing basketball, i got hit underneath the chin while goin down for a rebound and it gave me a minor whiplash, but the doctor's didn't catch it at first, so they only realized it a couple of months later after it had really set in to my neck, then we went to neurologists, specialists, and soo many other people, and no one could figure out what it was (besides whiplash) and how to treat it. after like a year of going to doctor after doctor i found out what i had. TOS (thoracic outlet syndrome) it's where you have (sometimes) a pinched nerve & artery running from your shoulder, by your collar bone, and into your neck. and it's the main nerve and artery, so what happens is when it gets pinched (when i move my arm) my whole arm goes weak and numb, i have no feeling at all. it was so bad once i couldn't pick up a dish towel. so we were recommended to regularly go to chiropracters, massage therapy, and physio. did that for a while, all was well, i was finally back to normal. then last winter, i was curling in school, and i fell on the ice, and evvvvvvvvvverything came back, except worse. so we went to massage and physio again, KIND of got it back under control and it was livable. then 2 nights ago it just kept getting worse and worse and then in the morning when i was in the shower, i felt something move (dunno what it was) in my neck/back area, and it was like instant pain, i couldn't move without it feel like someone was stabbing me by my shoulder blade. i couldn't do anything, i couldn't put myself into any position where it didn't hurt. and it wasn't like.. ow my arm hurts kind of pain, it was intense, throbbing, INSANE pain. i couldn't even dress myself, or get out of the shower really... so my mom took me to urgent care @ the hospital, they gave me a 60mg shot of tera dol (for muscle spasms) he said within 30 minutes it would be gone. well guess what, it didn't do sh!t. so i was stuck with this rediculous pain for the rest of the day, i couldn't do anything, i was so annoyed. this morning i went for a massage, and she said my ceratus (spelling?) muscle was very thick and knotted, so she loosened it a little, she said if she did all the way i would go nuts from the pain of her touching it, so now i have weekly appointments with her for the next 3-4 weeks. so now i can kinda move, but yeah i can't really sleep, and biggest pain in the ass -- i can't drive my car . i tried, but i couldn't move my arm enough to pull up the e-brake and stuff, and i didn't want to risk getting into an accident because i couldn't move fast enough, so now i have to get people to drive me around ... it's not a good week! but today i'm goin to the hair salon and getting my hair colored/streaked, and saturday i have my appointment to get my trial done for my graduation, so maybe i'll be looking a little bit prettier than i have been for the last 2 days.... grrr!! sorry to bother you all with my troubles.. i just needed to tell somebody...

[shin]

wow...... that must've sucked..... well... get more therapy and you should get better.

[ghostdog]

hope things get better for you. I had similar pain after I broke my collar bone. the pinched nerve wasn't as bad but it was still really painful. If I sleep wrong I still wake up sometimes with my arm completely asleep or just throbbing pain. things have gotten better for me though so best of luck to you

[95gtschick]

thanks.. yeah i didn't have a problem sleeping until last night... it's slowly getting better. and i mean slowly.. but i'm doin alright, as long as i take it easy. drove my car this afternoon, kinda. turning is the worst part now, but it's okay i suppose

[ILuvMyCelica95]

wow that really sucks.. I'm sorry

My mom has a pinched nerve in her neck but when the pain gets bad she usually only loses feeling in her fingers.

I hope you get better soon!!

This post has been edited by ILuvMyCelica95: May 12, 2005 - 6:47 PM

[dustin15brown]

Aww I'm sorry Kysten... I'll pray for you

[Jeremy1210]

Pinched nerve in TOS or the lower cervical or upper Thoracic spine. Have you gotten an MRI to CT Scan? That would be the best way to find that out. Also, your serratus muscle is on the side of your ribs.

[Newbie]

I hope you feel better soon. I'll wish you luck everyday.

[afroman]

i hope things get better for you i have seen first hand what this injury can do to a person and the people around them.

my mother went through the same thing from an accident. she is a hair stylist so her arms were always in the air and after awhile she lot alot of the muscle in her forearms becuse the pain was so bad she couldn't use them. evenutaly she had her first rib removed and the nerve disected off the sholder bone so she would not have any more pain. its been 2 yrs since the surgery and she is doin fine.
-Aaron-

[blkGT]

yea i hope you get better, ive pinched nerves... and it hurt like a b itch so you have my full sympothy and best wishes.

[95gtschick]

i've gotten every test done under the sun... i've gone for a ct scan, an mri, 1000's of xrays, they're doing blood work tomorrow, dunno what that's gonna help. i've gone for massage therapy, physio, chiro, NOTHING has helped... who knows, it's getting a little bit better, i can finally wash my hair on my own again, but it's still very very stupid and annoying.