19 and suffering from cervical rib

Hi laura, It's been nearly two years for since they told me that I had cervical ribs on both sides. I to had physio and accupuncnture, but neither helped. pain killers don't touch it. so I know what you are going threw. all I can say your age help's with any op for recovery. and find I good consultant who has done this op before. don't listen to any horror stories about op ! The pain is really bad I no. I do breathing exerises when at the worse. and when I go to bed if I lie on one side I put a pillow under my arm so it's level with my shoulder nearly. there is not alot I can say to you. good luck.

 

When it gets bad I wear wrist braces at night this makes certain you do not flex your wrist when you sleep which can trigger and/or exacerbate the symptoms...seems like a small thing but it helps alot if you curl your hands into your body when you sleep pay attention to your hand position when you wake up. Second sleep in a recliner and keep your hands below you waist when you sleep. Get your scalene triangle worked on it 3 muscles that conect from your posterior cevicle vertebrae to your clavicle and 1st rib your brachial plexus (nerves that merge together travel Don your arm and cause your pain) runs through it you may have pain in the front of your neck and headaches in the back of your head. Also I had a pt the other night in the ICU that had a 1st rib resection and its very painful but not not like you read about for the most part people dont get on and tell everyone how great it was they just move on but if you have a bad experience everyone knows. You might need surgery, avoid putting your hands above you shoulders. Get a referral to a CT surgeon there is no exact guidelines that indicate you have TOS or need surgery it's a desision you and your doc have to weigh out and agree on. Try lyrica for the pain IF it helps it's a indication carpel tunnel is NOT the problem and the origin of your pain is coming from further up the nerve as lyrica will help TOS or a brachial plexopathy. hit me up if you have any ?s I will try to help answer them. Try the wrist brace and recliner and maybe some sleep medicine I've found I do alot of the damage while I'm sleeping ( LOL if I put my arm in the wrong position I almost lose my radial pulse so I have a pretty good idea what you are going through)

Oh and try to sleep with your head straight as apposed to turned especially avoid turning to the side that bothers you if one side is worse than the other

This is exactly how mine started and was misdiagnosed with carpel tunnel. Sought another opinion and got into a world known head of vascular surgery. I had the surgery for Thorasic Outlet Syndrome a week ago. I already have a retired pulse now and the numbness, pain and cold hand is gone. The pain is quite crazy but it will get better. It's been a year of hell with it and hopefully will all heal quickly. I have to say that the procedure was more complicated than I thought with a rib removal and complications where they hit my lung and it partially deflated. But I am getting stronger and feeling better every day.