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Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
* Thoracic Outlet Symptoms What is Thoracic Outlet Syndrome?TOS is most commonly blamed on impingement of the various neurological structures which compose the brachial plexus. The brachial plexus is a network of nerve tissue stemming from the spinal nerve roots at C5 through T1, which bring nerve messages to the parts of the neck, shoulders and upper back regions. This most often diagnosed form of the pain syndrome is called neurogenic TOS. Less commonly, vascular tissue is implicated in the compression process, typically the subclavian artery or subclavian vein. This far less common cause of symptoms is referred to as arterial or venous TOS. Occasionally, some patients might be diagnosed with both the neurogenic and arterial/venous forms at the same time.Thoracic Outlet Syndrome SymptomsSymptoms of TOS vary from patient to patient and from causation to causation. Typically, there is pain, stiffness and loss of mobility, functionality and range of motion in the neck, shoulder and upper back. There might be pain in parts of the upper chest or underarm region. Patients might also experience radiating neurological symptoms in the neck, shoulder, arms and hands, such as tingling, weakness and numbness. Arterial or venous forms of the condition might demonstrate a weak pulse in the affected arm and wrist. Certain activities or postures typically worsen or relieve symptoms, although in many cases, this can merely be a conditioned response. TOS is more prevalent in woman than in men and is particularly common in athletes, office workers, people with bad posture and workers with repetitive motion jobs.Thoracic Outlet Syndrome CausesTOS can result from a back injury, such as sports trauma or a car accident. TOS can also come about gradually or spontaneously, even though no trauma has been endured. These idiopathic forms of TOS are even more likely to be misdiagnosed and typically turn out to be regional ischemia syndromes caused by a psycho-emotional process. Abnormalities with the scalene muscles have been linked to TOS development, but this is no surprise, since medical science always looks to a structural source for all physical pain, even when the anatomical condition might be purely coincidental and innocent of symptomatic expression. Enlargement (hypertrophy), overuse or injury to the scalene muscles does seem to have some bearing as to who might develop TOS, but is not a factor in all patients.Thoracic Outlet Syndrome AdviceTOS certainly exists, mostly due to obvious trauma. Even minor muscular injuries near the brachial plexus can cause TOS symptoms, although most of these issues should resolve in a few days to a few weeks. Long term structurally induced TOS is rare and generally might indicate a possible mistaken diagnosis.Tension myositis syndrome in the upper back and lower neck is generally diagnosed as TOS almost 100% of the time. Obviously, this leads to the treatment resistant pain which plagues the medical community, as patients continue to suffer despite a battery of seemingly appropriate, but unsuccessful treatment options. Physical therapy and chiropractic are the most common conservative treatment options. Injection therapy is common as a next line of defense, along with the ever present pain management drugs which rule the back pain therapy industry. Surgery is sometimes used in extreme or long term cases, but should be avoided unless there is no other option and the diagnosis is confirmed with 100% certainty…
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