Hello everyone, it's been a while! Welcome to my new blog!
To kick things off, I thought I would write my first post over here about something important to me. As some of you may (or may not) remember from my old blog, I would sometimes mention an injury I had incurred to my right hand/arm, which made blogging (and general day-to-day life) a bit difficult for me. Well, after nearly two years, and a lot of incorrect diagnoses, I finally know what the problem is. The constant pain and weakness in my hand, arm, and shoulder is due to a disorder called 'thoracic outlet syndrome' (TOS). Haven't hear of it? Don't worry, neither had I until recently.
Up until two years ago, I didn't have any pain or weakness and could use that arm relatively normally (although it may seem at times that I've had this problem forever, though technically I suppose I have). Two-weeks before my 20th birthday, however, I had a slight...gym-related accident... it's slightly embarrassing, but I fell over doing burpees and crushed my hand under my shoulder...anyway, since then, I've had really bad pain - genuinely the worst pain I've ever had - that has mostly been focused in my right hand (but this does extend up my arm and into my shoulder/shoulder blade). I was told that I'd fractured my hand in three places (and then I hadn't, and then I had, and then I hadn't, and then I had...), and spent the next few weeks in a splint and sling. After those weeks, I was still having intense pain, so I had x-rays, MRI scans, and nerve conduction tests (which I would not wish on anyone). It was eventually decided that I must have damaged my ulnar nerve, which runs from your shoulder to your hand, despite all tests showing my nerve was normal and intact. Fast-forward to a few weeks ago when I was sent to see a specialist consultant as my symptoms were persisting, and we finally got the right answer. The second I walked in the room, the consultant knew my problem (but sent me for a quick x-ray to confirm): I had cervical ribs that were causing neurogenic (neurological) TOS, and my gym-related accident was just enough to aggravate my already present condition.
What is TOS?
Thoracic outlet syndrome is the term for a group of disorders that arise when the nerves and/or blood vessels between your collarbone and first rib are compressed. There are different types of TOS, but mine is neurogenic (neurological). This means that the brachial plexus, a bundle of nerves that comes from the spinal cord and controls muscle movement and feeling in your shoulder, arm and hand, is being compressed on my right side. There are a few different symptoms of TOS, mine are generally numbness, tingling, and tightness in my hand and arm (particularly when my arm is raised above my head), strong pain in my hand, arm and shoulder, and weakness in the same areas. The causes of TOS can vary, from car accidents to repetitive strain, but mine is caused by something a little rarer.
Cervical Ribs
Cervical ribs are extra ribs/bones that grow from the first rib, just above the collar bone, and tend to be there from birth. They can grow on one side, or both, and can be fully formed or just tissue fibres. Mine are on both sides (although only the right side is being affected currently), and are fully formed - accounting for the elongated neck that I am now very self-aware of since it was pointed out to me - they were actually quite impressive on the x-ray! These extra bones only occur in about 1 in 500 people (about 0.2-0.5% of the population), and often end up causing some form of TOS. In my case, the cervical rib on my right side is compressing my brachial plexus (which is not a sensation I'd recommend).
Are There Any Treatments?
There are only two options treatment-wise for my TOS, either physiotherapy will help to ease the compression of my nerves and lower the pain (which in turn will allow me to begin building up strength again), or I will have to undergo quite significant neck surgery to remove the rib that is causing the problem. I'm quite early on in my treatment journey, and have been given some physio exercises to start with while my therapist arranges a longer one-hour session to go through some more stretches with me. I'm taking the treatment one day at a time, and really focusing on my physio to make sure that I try everything to avoid going under the knife, but I'm not discounting the surgical route. We'll cross that bridge if and when we get to it.
So that's my story! A little different from the posts I used to write, but a new vibe for a new blog.
So that's my story! A little different from the posts I used to write, but a new vibe for a new blog.
Had you heard of TOS or cervical ribs before? Experienced it yourself? Or had no idea you could grow spare bones in your neck? Let me know you're thoughts in the comments below!
Until next time -
