My Physical Therapist Said - Part 8

How often have you thought you would love to detach one or both of your arms because they hurt so much you just can't stand it any more?

I told my PT about having increased arm pain at a recent appoitment.
I mentined that my daughter and I think it would be great to work on getting a patent for 'the detachable arm.' But I also realise it is quite possible to detach your arm and still feel the arm pain.

My physical therapist said, "Now you're getting into the concepts of pain and the brain in Explain Pain!"
I told him I remembered an episode of House where a man felt excruciating pain in his amputated arm, and the good doctor fixed it by sticking both arms in a box with a miror so he could see both hands clench his fist and release. The brain got the message and his pain was relieved. Pretty cool.

There are elements of this that may apply to those of us living with TOS.
We get set up in a cycle of pain, expecting pain, being used to the pain.
How much of that is our brain being addicted to giving us pain signals, and how much is actual physical distress? The answer to that is very indivdual, each TOSer has a variation of things going on with their symptoms. But I think it is worth thinking about how much of the pain we attribute to TOS is actually from a physical cause, and how much of our 'TOS pain' may be of another nature; ie, our brain controlling the show and overreacting.
It's something to think about.

Don't hang in there & gentle hugs~

Seat design causing neck strain and health issues!

Take a look at these seats and tell me- why are they all concave and curved forward at the top?!
I understand 'safety' is the reason given for the design, but try having TOS and have to sit in one of these seats for any length of time...you find out pretty fast that your pain is about to flareup!

  

Topping the list of seats that are terrible for TOSers, is the car seat. There has been nothing worse for my pain flareups than having to ride in someone elses car with a head restraint/headrest that pitches forward.
This paper addresses some important issues in car seat design, (Link)Automobile headrests extending too far forward with solutions.
A quote from that paper- "In most cars, the contour of the seat backs do not adequately match the contour of the drivers back and the headrests are too far forward."
As this Forbes article confirms, there are alot of people unhappy with the strain on their neck caused by the car seat head rest.
You may write and express how car seat design is affecting your health (a cause of TOS pain flareup) to:
U.S. Dept of Transportation
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

A few ideas for TOSers to adapt their seat:
As the paper suggests, with warning, you may remove and turn your head rest around.
I have to do this or I cannot drive. I may be taking a whiplash injury risk, but leaving the headrest in the curved forward position is not an option for me.
 (Maybe this is not as much of an issue for those living with TOS who are taller?)

My recommendation for furniture for shorter to average people is furniture made by Best furniture Company.
I realised our living room furniture was contributing to my pain because it was SO slouchy, big and caused me to have terrible posture.


Other options to adapt include:
http://www.necksolutions.com/car-seat-neck-support.html

http://www.addonheadrest.com/backpain.html

http://www.amazon.com/Car-Neck-Pillow-Soft-Version/dp/B005C7ZR5O

http://www.amazon.com/Astar-Memory-Foam-Pillow-M139/dp/B002DBS9KM/ref=sr_1_20?ie=UTF8&qid=1407160243&sr=8-20&keywords=car+seat+neck+support

Happy driving fellow TOSers, gentle hugs~

How to Attack Life's Challenge with Grace

I've been trying to do just what Brendon talks about in this video for several months now...attack my TOS issues head on, and from every possible angle; challenging negative thought patterns, supplements, physical therapy, diet, even emotional and spiritual pieces of the puzzle.
Recently, I've been a bit discouraged.
I think I'm doing better, then pain ramps up and I feel like one step forward, two steps back. 
It seems a bit divinely providential that I ran across this video today.

I needed to be reminded of the necessary balance between fighting TOS, and being at peace with it while I'm trying to change some things.
Like Brendon says about his 'War and Peace Strategy' in this video-"If you've got a challenge in your life, you've gotta go to war at it, and you have to have peace about it. Major challenges in our life demand multiple areas of attack. You're so overwhelmed with the suffering, the challenges- you've gotta start overwhelming those things with the number of areas you're hittin' that baby. As you're working your best towards changing it (not approve of it or settle with it) have peace, accept it with no negative attachment. It's ok as it is." 

That last line is tough, so tough for me.
I think he's right.
I think acceptance and peace may be the key to living well with pain and challenges, but I'm not there just yet.
I'll keep workin' on it.

Gentle hugs~

Thoracic Outlet Syndrome - Video Explanation

Alternative to traditional Therapy for people diagnosed with TOS

I found these videos to be remarkable!
Two TOS patient testimonials with very hopeful outcomes.
I hear so much of my own struggles in what each of them shares.

I find such hope in the closely related Feldenkrais and Anat Baniel Methods.
This is worth a look if you want to help yourself or someone you love who is struggling with TOS.



I continue to do Feldenkrais lessons at home via MP3 player, finding it very helpful, relaxing. I am learning so much about my body, learning new ways to move, feeling more graceful and capable.
Those are two words I didn't think I would say about myself ever again.

Tension Myositis Syndrome -Maybe it really is all in your head after all!