Phrenic Nerve damage and paralyzed diaphragm: Anyone else have this?

My Diaphram is not working on my left side . How do Doctor’s test the Phrenic nerve ?

I am going to ask my doctor to order the sniff test . Thank you for the suggestion .
I have a left elevated Diaphram
Trouble breathing
My left Diaphram moves to my back and I have to move it forward manually and “ pull it up “
I think I need surgery cause this is a nerve damage problem that has slowly progressed over two years s a result from a complication / injury in a surgery I had .

I really appreciate the advice. I have my first appointment with my massage therapist next Thursday. I’ll start journaling as you suggested and am joining the group MR discussion group. Have a very blessed weekend😀

@jeffreylwahl Thank you so much, Jeffrey! You may want to keep track of your symptoms in a journal and then you'll know how it changes as you work with your therapist and myofascial release. I think it will benefit you.

Please stay in touch and let me know how you're doing. If you wish, you may join the Myofascial Release Discussion here https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/myofascial-release-therapy-mfr-for-treating-compression-and-pain/

Jennifer

Thank you so much for the information. I believe I discovered some “ gold nuggets “ while reading and rereading your encouraging post. I’m going to contact my massage therapist today and make an appointment as she practices the type of massage therapy you described. I also have had a problem with holding my head up after an injury in October 2022, which actually could have been when the diaphragm was paralyzed but doubtful according to medical specialists. I cracked my T-12 disc when a ladder slipped out from under me and I landed flat on my back on a ceramic tile floor. They said it could take a year or more to heal but it still gives me problems. Exactly as you described, I’m bending my head forward, and my back gets very fatigued when for example, doing dishes or working in the kitchen looking down. I asked my MD if I needed to see a specialist and he basically said it’d be wasting my time. But you hit on several points that I have basically discovered myself and am searching for help. Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom..!

I was informed I had right paralyzed diaphragm at a post-op for quadruple by-pass surgery in April 2022. I just recently started looking at surgical options. I’m on a fb page for such and have read a lot of interesting stories of folks journeys into the seemingly little known area of paralyzed diaphragms. Many like myself, don’t know when or how for sure this happened. Just recently I had a cold and suffered SOB and it really motivated me to find some answers and start working with an amazing physical therapist. I can already feel the improvements in overall health, strength and can breathe somewhat better. I’m going through the process now of getting an appointment with a thoracic surgeon at Cleveland Clinic, since it’s the closest to me, there are other recommended surgeons I’ve read about that can repair/replace the nerve, by harvesting one from your leg I’m told. I’ve seen pictures and “ it ain’t pretty “. I hope this helps you or someone else in their plight. 3rd John vs2. Above all things, dear people, I wish that you would prosper, and be in health as your soul prospers. “ my paraphrase “

Many thanks. I will keep you posted! I hope Your Thanksgiving is Mahvelous!!

Pittsburgh has two large competing medical provider systems. Before I moved out here, I couldn't figure it out, so I bought a costly medicare supplement that would enable me to be treated by both. I started with one and have switched to the other. Both providers can access all my previous medical records, which sounds much better than what you are dealing with. I'm not that far from the Cleveland Clinic and could go there. I got spoiled by the approach Mayo takes having several specialists working together in teams for each patient. Anyway, I hope things go well with your appointment on the 4th, that your rheumatologist is correct in thinking your symptoms are being caused by inflammation, and that he/she can help you. Good luck!

Just to clarify, I don’t see my surgeon any longer. I moved about 45 minutes away, and with the advent of medical care being organized into “teams”, he was on one team and the preponderance of physicians in my new location is on another team. They can’t refer to each other and they can’t or don’t refer to hospitals and other diagnostics centers that aren’t affiliated with their team.

I’m certain it makes all in the team more profitable. In my opinion it doesn’t necessarily benefit the patient, although I realize a case could be made that it does. Going to a cohesive multi-discipline care center like Mayo is a Gold standard. But I’m not a fan of how that has been emulated in community medicine.

The x-ray technician would have commented on it, so that's a piece of the puzzle. When I lived in southern MN, I was really fortunate to get all my medical care at Mayo Clinic. I'm in PA now but read through my records from 25 years ago on the Mayo Clinic portal. All of the x-ray reports indicated a raised left diaphragm...which is how I know I've had this for a long time. I asked my wonderful Mayo PCP why no one had followed up on this, and she said they didn't if a patient wasn't experiencing symptoms. There is another wonderful discussion thread on Mayo Connect I used to follow on Mysterious Shortness of Breath if you're looking for other thoughts. I would bet, however, you are absolutely right thinking this has something to do with your cancer surgery. I'm not surprised your cancer surgeon doesn't want you to pursue the precise cause and absolves him/herself of any responsibility. In my opinion, you really need to know what is causing your current symptoms and what you can do about that, rather than focus on the specific triggering event. That was about as clear as mud, sorry. My paralyzed diaphragm could have been caused by a motorcycle accident, falling down a flight of stairs, flipping over 3 times in a light pickup, malaria, rabies treatment, several operations, numerous vaccinations for working and traveling in East and West Africa, various viruses, etc. It doesn't really matter to me what caused it. It is what it is, I've ruled out surgery at my advanced age, I'm coping pretty well, and I'm concerned about dealing with the symptoms as they arise. I hope that makes sense. Anyway, if you think your diaphragm is damaged and causing your problems, you can find out one way or the other by having the SNIFF test and have a neurologist test your phrenic nerve. If your diaphragm isn't the problem, you'll have to keep looking. I don't know what a rheumatologist does but will look it up. I have a pulmonologist, cardiologist, gastroenterologist and wonderful PCP on my medical team....along with a Traditional Chinese Medicine healer who does acupuncture and chiropractor, who does not use manual manipulations. I'm pretty happy with them but do miss the Mayo Clinic!

PS Wow -- what a rheumatologist does is pretty cool. I've gotten really interested in inflammation, particularly inflammation resulting from leaky gut, being the cause of most chronic diseases. A few people in my facebook group attribute their paralyzed diaphragm to Parsonage Turner Syndrome. I think PTS may have something to do with the body attacking itself and the resulting inflammation irritates the phrenic nerve, which in turn weakens and/or paralyzes the diaphragm. I haven't really paid much attention to it; but what is interesting is that in at least 3 instances where PTS was the culprit the phrenic nerves healed themselves over time and the diaphragms started working again.