Re: shazzinoz Armpit circulation pain ... aches, numbness & vent :-(

[Guest guest]

OK - just got back from the theater.

You said you lose the pulse on the right side at 45-60 degrees. Do

you experience any pain in the 40-60 degree range? In other words,

no pain when the hand is pointing to the floor, then pain starts at

about 40 degrees and continues up through 60 degrees or so and then

stops after that? Again, I am talking about pain as opposed to

pulse.

Pain in the mid-range of movement is called Painful Arc. It is

usually indicative of Rotator Cuff Tendonitis or Bursitis. The

scapula curves around toward the front of the shoulder on the top.

This is called the Acromion Process. The Acromion Process sits

above the head of the humerus. Painful Arc is caused by the Rotator

Cuff Tendons being compressed or pinched between the Acromion and

the humerus because either the bursa is swollen or the tendons are

inflamed. The head of the humerus is shaped such that it only

pinches at the mid-range.

I am not suggesting that you have Painful Arc, only questioning

whether there is a possibility that you do.

I do, however, think that you are getting a TOS compression.

Did you do the tests on yourself or did you have someone do them for

you? It is fairly easy to do Adson's or Travell's variation on

yourself. It is not so easy to properly do 's or the

Costoclavicular on yourself.

Because of this, I would recommend that you either have someone you

know do it for you, or better yet, specifically ask your Osteopath

to do them for you the next time you see him. He can run all four

tests in five minutes or less - ten minutes if you have him do them

bilaterally.

There are a number of very effective massage techniques for treating

it if you do have Pec Minor Syndrome but most of them are not ones

you could easily do on yourself. And there are some that to do

properly, it is impossible to do on yourself. There are others,

like Lymphatic Drainage, that you could easily do on yourself once

shown how or taught how to do. Same thing for fascial release

techniques.

If you can verify that you do have it, I will see what I can do

about either trying to write up some how to steps for you or do some

checking for qualified practitioners in your area.

Does your insurance cover massage/bodywork? If it does, your Osteo

could write a prescription for you to get half a dozen or so

sessions and that could possible do wonders for you. And if so, I

could then give you some specific recommendations on what to look

for in the way of a practitioner. Just going in for " a massage "

won't necessarily do the trick. You need to see someone who knows

how to do the specific work.

> On the 's Hyperabduction Test for Pectoralis Minor Syndrome

> test my radial pulse on the right is lost before my arm is taken

up

> 90 degree's or so (it is lost at about 45-60 degree's and stays

GONE

> all the rest of the way up)and I mean I can't find it...

> On the left it lessens a bit but NOTHING like on the right.

> I guess this is why when I wake up with my arm above my head in

the

> middle of the night , why I can't move my arm and why my arm and

hand

> etc HURT so much, and why I have to work to get the pins and

needles

> and FAT feeling out of my hand etc once I do bring it back down

(with

> my other arm).

> Is there anythign I can do to work on this MYSELF???

> I do see my Osteopath and he is helping but as I have so MUCH

going

> on there is only so much he can do in our hour together each week

and

> we mainly only work on the worst for that day/week, and never

really

> get a chance to work on other things.

> Sharon (Shazinoz)

>

>

> >

> >

> > OK - here they are. In all cases, the tests are

> conducted/monitored

> > on the affected side. For a " just because " I am also adding a

test

> > for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome at the bottom. The next step, if

anyone

> > wants it, is to give a run-down on some specific treatment

> > protocols. If anybody wants it, let me know.

> >

> > Adson's Test for Anterior Scalene Syndrome

> > The client is seated for comfort and stability. Monitor the

radial

> > pulse at the wrist. Then ask the client to rotate and extend

the

> > head as far as is comfortable to same side as the therapist is

> > monitoring. Instruct client to take a deep breath in and hold

it

> > for about 30 seconds. (Note - rotate and extend means turn your

> > head as far as you can to the side and then up and back like you

> are

> > trying to look over your shoulder).

> >

> > Travell's Variation on Adson's Test

> > Proceed as for Adson's. When monitoring the radial pulse on the

> > symptomatic side, have the client turn head away from (not

towards)

> > this side. A positive test indicates greater involvement of

> > scalenes medius.

> >

> > (In other words, assume the problem is on the right side. For

> > Adson's, they would turn and look to the right. For Travell's,

> they

> > would turn and look to the left.)

> >

> > 's Hyperabduction Test for Pectoralis Minor Syndrome

> > The client is seated for comfort and stability. Continue to

> monitor

> > the radial pulse. Be careful to get a firm hold on the wrist

but

> > still be able to feel the pulse. The therapist places the free

> hand

> > lightly on the shoulder to prevent client from elevating it to

> > relieve tractioning. Instruct the client not to help with the

> > movements as the therapist takes the arm slowly into full

> > abduction. It should be held in this position for up to one

> > minute. (Note - full abduction means to raise the arm up from

the

> > side to a full vertical position over the head).

> >

> > Costoclavicular Syndrome Test

> > In either a seated or standing position, ask the client to

assume a

> > so-called military posture: scapulae retracted and depressed,

the

> > chest pushed out. Now ask the client to take a deep breath and

> hold

> > it for about 30 seconds. Monitor the radial pulse on one side

> > first, then repeat the procedure for the other side.

> >

> > Again, the purpose in monitoring the pulse is to test for

> > compressions that pinch the radial artery closed. If the pulse

> > stays strong, no compression is taking place. If the pulse

fades

> or

> > goes away, compression is occuring and the individual tests tell

> you

> > which muscle is causing the compression.

> >

> > A couple of side notes. Travell is Dr. Janet Travell of Travell

> and

> > Simons Trigger Point work fame, basically the bible covering

> trigger

> > points. She also just happened to be F. Kennedy's doctor

when

> > JFK was president.

> >

> > Like I said in the post yesterday, there are other possible

causes

> > of TOS, but the main ones tend to be one of the above. And these

> can

> > be treated with a variety of massage/bodywork techniques. Keep

in

> > mind that a lot of doctors do not think in terms of soft tissue

> > manipulation for treatment. They think of anti-inflammatories

and

> > pain killers, surgery, etc. Quite frankly, a lot of them don't

> > even know what can be done with bodywork.

> >

> > One other test while we are at it: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

There

> > are a couple of quick tests for it but I am only going to give

the

> > one because the other one isn't as reliable a guide. Basically,

> put

> > the backs of your hands together so your forearms are parallel

with

> > the floor and your hands/wrists are bent at a 90 degree angle

with

> > your fingers pointing toward the floor. Then hold it. If you

have

> > Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, the pain will become excruciating within

10-

> > 20 seconds. If you can hold the position pain-free for 30-60

> > seconds, you do NOT have Carpal Tunnel.

> >

> > I have done this test myself on at least four people in the last

> > couple of years - all four having been told by their doctor that

> > they had CTS and with two of them scheduled for surgery within

the

> > following two weeks. None of them tested positive for CTS. All

> > four, however, did test positive for one of the TOS variations.

> > Neither of the two followed thru with the surgery. I treated

three

> > of them myself and one of my instructors treated the fourth.