Monday, July 13, 2009

Cervical Rib Syndrome(Thoracic Outlet Syndrome) and me!!!

Tried and tasted by Nivedita
Hi all,
Got confused with the Title of this post in my blog!! When you finish reading, then you will know the reason for the title.
First let me tell you what is Cervical Rib Syndrome. It is "compression of the neurovascular structures in the area just above the first rib and behind the clavicle. It represents a constellation of symptoms" (Ref. from http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/760477-overview).

Why I am telling you about this is because, I am having this syndrome from past 11 years.
With this the bonus is: my 2 discs are also bulged in the back which gives unbearable 24x7 pain.
And I always controlled my pain by doing Pranayam, exercises and jogging. (It is easy for me and I enjoy doing all these as I was a State level Basket ball player.)
But this time, it was severe. So I went to Neuro surgeon. He suggested me to go for MRI.

MRI Experience:
Even though ten years back, I went through MRI, this time I was little scared. Before I went inside, I asked the person who was attending me, that how one feels inside. He told me that I will feel as if I am sitting in a traditional Mill Flour. And he told me not to get scared of the noise as it will be louder.. His strict instruction was not to move my body, head, and hands. Even coughing and sneezing was not allowed. He put me on the machine and told just keep my self calm and breathe slowly. He sent me inside, telling me he will be back in 10 minutes. I was really scared, but kept myself strong and lied down quietly. After a minute, the sound started. It was really scary!!! If he has not warned me before, I would have ran away from there. The sound went on for 30 seconds. Then silence surrounded me with only some data recording sound. I thought the sound will not come again. But!!! after few minutes, again the sound started "kharrrrrrrrr, khatt khatt khatt' Then I just assumed that I am in some Games zone and playing some video games and made my self strong. Again the sound went, but started again after few minutes. Mean while I was worried about sneezing, coughing and was really care full not to get them. But!!!! instead of cough and sneeze, I felt something is moving on my cheeks. I controlled some how, then my chin started scratching!!!! Then came the thought, If some insect or some moving creature is hiding here, and if it attacks me!!!!!!! Ohh, the ten minutes were horrible. At last after one more time the sound and data recording, the attender came and took me out!!!!
I got the report after 3 hours. I went to meet the doctor in the evening. He prescribed me 15 days steroids and advised me to put collar to my neck. I thought "wow such a big ornament for my neck" He told me to come after the treatment and go for surgery to cut the bulge as it is increased to a larger size in these 10 years.

Then the second stage, I thought (not only me!!, every one in the house) of going for second opinion. So next day my visit was to a Orthopedic Surgeon. Before checking the reports, he asked me to explain about my pain in detail and I did the same. Then he took the reports, put on the light.
He explained me in detail about my body parts on the report. He explained me that I have the Cervical Rib Syndrome(Thoracic Outlet Syndrome). This syndrome happens to one person among one lakh. I joked that I am unique in my own way!!! Plus my disc bulge is also giving me the pain. And both are different. He prescribed me 3 days steroids and one exercise which I have to do 30 times in the morning, after noon and night. It has to be followed for lifelong.
Now, I have started the same, hoping that I will get relief. Otherwise also it is ok! I am used to my pain so much that, may be I will feel that I don't have hand, if there is no pain!!!

Keep smiling,

No comments:

Search This Blog

Lijit Ad Wijit

My Shelfari Bookshelf

Shelfari: Book reviews on your book blog