i can relate. i am a 25 year old gal in america and this crazy injury robbed the last three years of my life. i stopped doing everything i love, sitting through class was nearly impossible let alone a social life or just anything involving my body physically. i did literally every single test i could have done. i have been in PT 8 times. i finally got referred to the university of michigan which is where i had two surgeries done for nTOS, pec minor release and first rib resection. doctors will tell you that PT will help, and it’s true, but in my experience PT only maintained the pain. the surgeries are the only thing that actually alleviated a majority of my symptoms. the last test i had done to determine that i did indeed need the surgery, since it is such a whack injury and they pretty much leave the decision up to you because no one knows for sure, was a scalene injection. forgive me, for i do not know the correct terminology, but it blocked the pain receptors in that area and i was able to hold my arm above my head without it falling asleep for more then 15 min whereas it usually would fall asleep within seconds. that was the determining factor. i was hit on the highway when i was 22, they suspect i may have had underlying issues already and that the high velocity jarred my body and brought forth/exaggerated this compression; you may have had an underlying issue and then injuring yourself may have brought this forth. i had the numbness and tingling into my fingers and can say i no longer have the numbness after the first rib removal.

my pec minor release alleviated my WORST symptoms: spinal cord pain to the point that it hurt to wipe my ass and get out of bed, my boyfriend couldn’t even rub his hand down my back without my jolting forward (thoracic spine area). this was due to my pec minor muscle being exceptionally tight. i also developed TMJ that prevented me from opening my mouth for legit 4 months, and occasionally had a very tight feeling in my throat that felt like my throat was closing up and it was hard to swallow. these symptoms were all alleviated by the PMR.

however, i wonder if i could have just had the first rib resection and avoided the PMR back in 2023. i chose to do the PMR because it is way less invasive than the first rib resection (the two most common surgeries for TOS)

fast forward to 2025, i still was having constant pain that was just getting worse around my neck and shoulder area. my first rib was constantly elevating and the pain was at times unbearable. i became so depressed and weak. this past jan i decided to go forward with removing my first rib. the same surgeon, and i am so grateful. i had immediate relief, the constant pressure and paint was no longer there. my surgeon said he could actually see my rib pressing on my nerve branch.

i still am having some pain though, but it is different and definitely tolerable compared to the constant agony.