Thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) refers to a group of conditions that occur when blood vessels or nerves in the thoracic outlet—the space between your collarbone and your first rib—become compressed. This can lead to pain, numbness, and weakness in the shoulders, arms, and hands.
Types of TOS:
- Neurogenic TOS: Caused by compression of the brachial plexus nerves.
- Venous TOS: Involves compression of the subclavian vein, potentially leading to blood clots.
- Arterial TOS: Results from compression of the subclavian artery, which can affect blood flow to the arm.
Symptoms and Causes
What are the symptoms?
Thoracic outlet syndrome symptoms affect your neck, chest, shoulder, arm or hand, usually on one side. Potential symptoms may be:
- Pain, which may worsen when you lift your arms.
- Tingling or “pins and needles.”
- Numbness.
- Weakness.
- Swelling or heaviness.
- Skin colour changes (skin that looks pale or blue).
- Skin that feels cool to the touch.
- Slow-healing sores on your fingers.
Causes:
- Anatomical abnormalities (extra ribs, etc.)
- Poor posture
- Trauma or injury
- Repetitive motions, especially overhead activities
What does thoracic outlet pain feel like?
Thoracic outlet syndrome can cause pain and discomfort in your neck, upper chest, shoulder and arm. This may feel like a dull ache, and it may worsen when you move your arms.
Some people confuse thoracic outlet syndrome pain with angina. Angina is chest pain you feel when your heart muscle doesn’t receive enough oxygen. But there are some important differences:
- TOS pain doesn’t occur or get worse when you walk, while angina typically does. Angina also can have other associated symptoms like shortness of breath, heart palpitations and light-headedness.
- TOS pain usually gets worse when you raise the affected arm. This doesn’t happen with angina.
Treatment
The combination of Osteopathy and Myotherapy is very effective in treating and alleviating the symptoms associated with thoracic outlet syndrome.
If you think you may have thoracic outlet pain, it may be a good idea to come in and see the Myotherapists and Osteopaths at Canterbury Health Hub. Here we can perform a thorough assessment, and provide a tailored treatment and management plan.