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Chronic pain in Neck, shoulder and arm
Chronic Pain | Last Active: Sep 15 12:28pm | Replies (18)Comment receiving replies
@jack993 These symptoms may represent something like Thoracic Outlet Syndrome. Was there are injury that caused the spine compression? Having had spine surgery is also going to increase inflammation a lot and cause some swelling. TOS is a problem of compression of nerves and blood vessels as they pass from the neck and between the collar bone and rib cage in some small spaces. All of that is pretty close to a surgical site for C5/C6.
TOS can be caused by an injury like a whiplash or repetitive stress and also be postural or related to physical build. I am a patient who also had a C5/C6 spine issue and I'm fused there. I have TOS. My hands used to get cold and turn blue because circulation was being cut off. It also sends aching pain and weakness into the arms. A couple times, half of my forearm was numb, and my PT could get that feeling restored with manual therapy.
TOS is most often missed and a lot of doctors don't understand it. I suggest, seek a specialist at a facility that lists TOS as a condition they they treat. I came to Mayo for that. I have been in a few years of treatment in physical therapy, but not typical strengthening PT because that makes it worse. I need to stretch out the tightness and what helps that is Myofascial Release.
Here is some information.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/thoracic-outlet-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20353988
https://mskneurology.com/how-truly-treat-thoracic-outlet-syndrome/
Here is our discussion on MFR therapy.
Myofascial Release Therapy (MFR) for treating compression and pain
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/myofascial-release-therapy-mfr-for-treating-compression-and-pain/
Have you heard about MFR before?
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Hello Jennifer and thank you for your reply.
Doctors suspected TOS two years ago. Thus she had XRays and MRI (with contrast) to check their suspicions, and luckily there was no indication for that.
As for MFR, we heard of a pain management doctor which patients were calling him “the miracle doctor” where he diagnosed her with MFR. he injected her RT shoulder with 4 injections that contained “Dextrose”, and what happened then, she was almost semi paralyzed for almost 2 weeks with dizziness, muscle weakness and many more symptoms, while she couldnt even walk properly. A month later, her LT shoulder (which was perfectly fine), got the same symptoms as the RT out of the sudden.
I have no idea what was the cause but doctors think that her body couldnt handle a new inflammation that caused by dextrose while her body was trying to fight the inflammations that were already in her shoulder before the injection.
Any idea if those symptoms are common while MFR?