I was referred for another round of physical therapy with someone new several weeks ago. The approach has been different from my previous experiences with p.t. and I've gleaned a few things I'd like to share with my fellow TOSers. I trust you will find some helpful, and hopeful information you can apply to your own TOS situation.
Stay tuned for more posts of - My Physical Therapist Said.
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You've been dealing with TOS and these issues a long time, you're pretty far down the rabbit hole. But you CAN snake your way back up out of it, it's just going to take time - and diligence on your part.
Your sympathetic nervous system is set too high. Think of it like this: remember when you first started driving, and you saw an animal on the side of the road? You though-oh my gosh, I don't want to hit it! So you swerved way around it. Now, after years of driving, same situation, you just ease over a bit and don't get as alarmed. Your nervous system response, and thus pain response, is currently set to go off at the 'oh my gosh' level with the lightest stimulation, and we can work toward normalizing that response.
Eventually, you can get to a place where you engage your nervous system and not have the five-alarm reactions.
You felt that five-alarm flareup after the last therapy session, but then...you were o.k. Your motion is better today. When you do these movements I've given you, and you experience some pain afterward, your arm/ear/jaw isn't going to fall off, you are not doing damage to yourself.
Your cells turn over constantly.You can affect positive change in your cells and structure. It's a gradual thing.
This is a process for you, but you can do it.
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Stay tuned for 'My Physical Therapist Said'...Part 2- coming soon!
