Trish, what a nightmare!!!!!!!! I also have been Dx'd with radiculopathy and Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (TOS). My entire arms and hands go completely numb, but the pain upon cirulation returning is excruciating--and I have a high pain tolerance. TOS is aggravated by positional issues, so tends to get worse (for me) at night, when I am lying down. When I'm having a TOS "episode" I awaken in the middle of the night in absolute pain.

I have not had an MRI. I went through a physical therapy course and the thing that helped the most was VERY gentle massage by a physical therapist. Hydrotherapy also completely takes away the symptoms. I KNOW that a lot of it in my case is related to muscle tension and posture (that's what the P.T. told me).

Lately, I've been having SEVERE muscle pain in my neck, upper back, shoulders, chest and arms. I'm not much of a "meds" person, so only take ibuprophin if it gets really bad. There is a lot of joint pain, too, in the same area, so I think I need to get a Sed rate done and see what might be affecting what (arthritis/bursitis, setting off more generalized muscle inflammation, or the other way around). Maybe I need an MRI.

Trish, I don't know what "people bracing" is--I've never heard of it. What is it? I have not tried acupuncture and am somewhat skeptical of it, but my opinion is---whatever works!!!! For the same reason that you describe, I do NOT want to have surgery if I can avoid it at all. I'd rather live with the pain, I guess....and use conservative measures to control it.

That's scary about your cardiac trouble---did you have an M.I.? Hang in there, Trish, And DO try gentle massage (preferably by a physical therapist) and hydrotherapy (spa/jacuzzi/hot,hot baths). ALSO, there's a state-of-the-art heating pad called Thermophor. It has industrial strength moist heat--is expensive, but works very well for temporary alleviation of pain. Keep me posted.