Adson Maneuver, EMG, CT Scan- TOS Tests

Info on EMG/Nerve Conduction Velocity Test  - http://www.webmd.com/brain/electromyogram-emg-and-nerve-conduction-studies

Adson Maneuver-



CT Scan - my non-medical description, you lay on bed, slide in tube, wear earplugs, loud noises while machine takes pictures of internal layers. Painful if asked to hold arms above head.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2704801

Xray, Ultrasound, MRI - http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/thoracic-outlet-syndrome/DS00800/DSECTION=tests-and-diagnosis

End of the year updates 2013

First, much love and appreciation for those who have contacted us and expressed questions, thanks, and shared their own TOS journeys with us. It means more to me, to us, than you know to be able to share this journey with you and hopefully encourage each other along the way.

So the daughter and I trekked to a University hospital a week ago so she could get the testing that I was supposed to get. I let her jump the line because I think she needs relief more than I do, and because I'm a mom.

She had EMG, nerve testing, very painful, needles poking around to test nerve function. The frustrating part was the person doing the EMG commented they "...do not really believe in all this 'TOS' so much..."  Which makes me flippin' crazy. I reminded my daughter that technician is not a Doctor, so they can have their opinion, but its not worth so much.  (Images borrowed from google).

Then we waited around two hours to go for CT scan, laying on stomach with arms overhead, head facing one direction. The scan was with contrast, which if you've had done you know has interesting warm sensations as it goes through your system and leaves you jittery afterwards (actual picture of daughter with contrast stuck in her arm below). They had to turn her over when the scan was done because her arms were numb. Not a great day for the daughter. Now we wait til early January to go back for more tests and the Doctor consult.

This physician, (I am told by a fellow TOSer who was kind enough to share their experience with me from the facebook TOS group-thanks!), does remove the cervical ribs, and he does utilize supracervical approach. This is good news because our previous Doctor uses transaxillary approach and we wanted a different opinion, to see if removing the cervical ribs would be preferable.
So...here we go, contiuing down the TOS road in 2014. Scary, but I just keep hoping for relief, and ya' gotta have hope.
Gentle hugs to all our fellow TOSers! We will keep you updated on this journey.