What is Thoracic Outlet Syndrome?

Thoracic outlet syndrome is a set of conditions where pressure is exerted on the blood vessels or nerves in the thoracic outlet region. This is an area between the neck and shoulder. Compression of the blood vessels and nerves causes pain in the shoulder and neck. It may lead to numbness in the fingers.

Thoracic outlet syndrome can be caused by trauma, repetitive injuries, pregnancy, and anatomy differences. Treatment typically involves physical therapy and pain relief, with surgery recommended for some cases.

What are the symptoms of Thoracic outlet syndrome?

Symptoms of thoracic outlet syndrome occur most often on one side of your chest and neck or shoulder, upper chest, arm, or hand. You might feel:

The symptoms of thoracic outlet syndrome are localized in the upper portion of the body, i.e., the neck, the upper part of the chest, the shoulder, and the arm or hand regions, but they usually affect just one side. Some of the Symptoms may include pain, which in most cases becomes intense when both arms are lifted or raised.

• Tingling sensation.
• Loss of feeling or numbness.
• Complaints of feeling weak, especially in the arms.
• Heaviness or swelling of the affected regions.
• Altered skin pigmentation or skin looking bluer or paler than usual.
• Cold to touch.
• Presence of cutaneous ulcers on the fingers that takes longer than usual to heal.

Depending on the type of TOS, a wide range of symptoms result from it. These symptoms are also caused by compression of particular blood vessels or nerves that prevent them from working normally.

• This is because your brachial plexus provides sensation and movement for your hand and arm. Due to pressure on it, you may also have brachial plexus pain, tingling, or numbness.
• This valve will close, allowing the blood from your arm to be drained by your subclavian vein and brought back to your heart. Therefore, the pressure from this vein stops the flow of blood from your arm, which causes edema and weight gain.
• Your subclavian artery provides your arm with richly oxygenated blood. However, the pressure in this artery diminishes the blood that flows to your arm, hand, and fingers. Poor blood flow from cool-skinned areas of your skin may cause numbness, tingling, or pain in these regions.

What causes Thoracic outlet syndrome?

• Congenital: These are anatomical variations that you are born with. For example, you are born with a cervical rib. This is an extra rib that can either be fused to or sit next to the first rib. Alternatively, you may have anomalies in your neck muscles, surrounding ligaments, or ribs. These abnormalities can compress the blood vessels or nerves within your thoracic outlet.
• Traumatic: Sudden injuries to your neck and upper chest. Examples include whiplash, commonly resulting from car accidents.
• Functional: Repetitive motions you do over and over again that irritate or injure structures in your thoracic outlet. Vigorous arm movements often cause athletes to experience this syndrome, especially baseball players and swimmers. Repeated overhead lifting, often required in specific kinds of work, is also a classic example.
• Some people are born with a predisposition to TOS but may not have symptoms unless there has been an injury to the neck due to an acute trauma or as a consequence of prolonged misuses.

What are the risk factors of Thoracic outlet syndrome?

The following factors may increase your risk of thoracic outlet syndrome:

• You participate in sports that require continuous arm or shoulder movements. For example, baseball, swimming, golf, and volleyball.
• You do weightlifting.
• You move heavy loads above your head or maintain heavy loads on your shoulders.
• You had trauma to your back or neck, including whiplash.
• You have tumors or bulky lymph nodes in your armpit or upper chest.
• You have poor alignment.

How is Thoracic outlet syndrome dignosed?

Medical doctors evaluate you physically and also review your history to diagnose TOS. Your doctor might ask you to undergo movement based tests when you are being physically examined and these include:

• Upper limb tension test.
• Arm stress test elevated.

To conduct these tests, you will be required to assume simple movements: raising your arms, tilting your head, and curling your fists. It will be noted on which movement is associated with pain or other manifestations that could be productive in making the diagnosis.

In cases where imaging and laboratory tests are deemed necessary, doctors will schedule them to confirm TOS and rule out any possible alternative cause for your symptoms.

What test will be done to dignose Thoracic outlet syndrome?

One or more of the following studies may be required:

• Blood tests.
• Chest X-ray.
• Spine or chest CT scan.
• Electrocardiogram (EMG).
• A blood vessel MRA.
• A spine or chest MRI.
• Nerve conduction study.

Your provider assists with these studies:

• Look for abnormalities in anatomy (for example, a cervical rib).
• Assess the patency of your arterial and venous systems.
• Rule out other diseases that may explain your symptoms.
• Assess how your nerves and muscles are working.
• Determine where exactly the compression is.

How is Thoracic outlet syndrome treated?

The treatment of thoracic outlet syndrome depends on the cause and symptoms of the patient. It aims to reduce pain and prevent complications.

A healthcare provider determines which treatment option should be applied based on the symptoms the patient is experiencing.

Potential treatments may include:

• Physical therapy: It is a common initial treatment for neurogenic TOS. It promotes improvement in the patient's range of motion, muscle strength, and posture. Ninety percent of patients show improvement in symptoms.
• Medications to alleviate pain: Over-the-counter pain-relieving medicines, such as NSAIDs, may be ordered by your provider.
• Medications to either prevent or dissolve blood clots: Thrombolytic therapy assists patients with arterial or venous TOS by dissolving existing clots and preventing new clots, with a possibility of anticoagulant medication prescription.
• Surgery: Many patients with arterial or venous TOS will need to have surgery, and some with neurogenic TOS will require surgical intervention if other therapies do not help control symptoms. The approach will depend on the type of TOS and what structures are involved-for example, decompression surgery or repair of structural blood vessel pathology-so providers discuss the need for surgery and some potential risks involved with the patient.

Living With

How do I take care of myself?

Your doctor can also assist you with managing your self-care if you have TOS. They may recommend that you:

• Do not carry heavy bags on your shoulder; avoid lifting of objects over your head.
• Work with a physiotherapist.
• Do exercises at home to strengthen your muscles and correct your posture.
• Modify or avoid certain movements in your activities of daily living to avoid the exacerbation of your symptoms.

When should I call my healthcare provider?

Call your provider if you have new or changing symptoms. They will let you know how often you should visit for follow-up appointments and tests.

Why Tender Palm Super-Speciality Hospital for Thoracic outlet syndrome treatment in Lucknow, India?

Tender Palm Super-Speciality Hospital is one of the best hospital for Thoracic outlet syndrome treatment in Lucknow, India. We have expert team of vascular surgeons with modern technology, and compassionate care. We ensures safer surgeries, faster recovery, and better long-term results.

To seek an expert consultation for Thoracic outlet syndrome treatment in Lucknow, India

Call us at +91-9076972161
Email at care@tenderpalm.com

Request a Call Back