Friday I had my first appointment with a chiropractor. It exceeded all of my expectations. After filling out all of the usual forms and then talking with a nurse, I talked to Dr. Rosa. He asked me when the problems with my arms started, which doctors I’ve seen and what tests they ran, etc., and what the symptoms were like in the last couple of weeks.

Then he did a couple of basic tests. He pulled my left arm back and checked the pulse, and said that when he pulled it back my pulse disappeared and my hand went numb. This was especially significant because when I first went to my pediatrician about it, he and another doctor had said that the pulse in my two arms was different. Dr. Rosa immediately thought it was some kind of compression in my neck on the left side, and after doing the same thing to my right hand — and the pulse and feeling being fine — he found a few more things:

• there is a second compression underneath my neck — certain spots he touched really hurt that I had never even noticed before he touched them;
• the bone in my neck — which is supposed to be curved — is pretty much flat;
• when I lay on my stomach, one of my shoulder blades sticks up more than the other; and
• the space between my collarbone and top rib is smaller than normal

Within thirty minutes, he diagnosed me with thoracic outlet syndrome with double crush syndrome. I hadn’t even said anything about my suspicions of TOS, and yet Dr. Rosa immediately came up with it.

Even better, he began treatment immediately. He basically did an electro-massage, electro-acupuncture and several adjustments in my neck and back. Everything he did cut the pain down by about fifty percent. (Of course, it’s back with a vengeance now.) He also gave me three stretches to do, because I have limited side-to-side movement in my neck. I go back to see him on Wednesday, when he will continue the adjustment and other chiropractic treatment methods.

I am very happy with just that first appointment. It’s very, very relieving to finally have a diagnosis — especially one that is treatable. I know a lot of people tend to scoff at chiropractors, but after doing the research I did on Thursday and what was done during my first appointment on Friday I am very optimistic.

A big thank you to everyone who continually gave me their support and encouragement. It was very, very frustrating and a little depressing at times to not be able to know what was wrong. I really appreciate all of the positive and encouraging comments on the last post. If it weren’t for my family, friends and Mike I would probably have gone insane a long time ago. I know it’s not going to be easy, or a quick fix; the adjustments do hurt a little, and it’s going to be a little at a time to get everything back into place. (There is, also, the possibility that I might need surgery, but I am trying to be positive and am hoping that Dr. Rosa can help me.)

I have more to post about, but I’m in a lot of pain right now and I should try to get some homework done while I can. I will try to update again tomorrow.