What it is
The thoracic outlet is the area of the lower neck and upper chest. This area has a variety of nerves, blood vessels, muscles and bones that run through a fairly small area. When the nerves and blood vessels of this area are compressed, irritated or injured they can cause a range of symptoms known as the thoracic outlet syndrome.
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Causes & Risk Factors
Causes
Compression, injury, or irritation of nerves and blood vessels can be caused by:
- Defects in nearby structures
- Poor posture
- Trauma
- Repetitive arm or shoulder movement
- Tumors
Risk Factors
Factors that may increase your chance of developing thoracic outlet syndrome include:
- Having an abnormal first rib
- Poor posture
- Repetitive motion
- Trauma
- Obesity
Symptoms & Diagnosis
Thoracic outlet syndrome may cause the following:
- Arm or hand pain
- Arm or hand weakness
- Numbness and tingling
- Cold sensitivity in the hands and fingers
- Pain or sores of the fingers
- Poor blood circulation to the arm, hands and fingers
- Swelling of the limb
- Skin of arm turning pale and blue
Diagnosis
Your doctor will ask about your symptoms and medical history. A physical exam will be done. During an elevated arm stress test, your doctor will ask you to hold your arms and head in positions that may cause the thoracic outlet syndrome symptoms to reappear. The results of these tests will help determine whether you have thoracic outlet syndrome and rule out other possible related conditions. Other tests may include:
- Blood tests
- Electromyography and nerve other conduction tests
Images of internal body structures may be taken with:
- Chest X-ray
- Ultrasound
- CT angiography
- MRI
- Venography
Treatments Offered at the Center for Vascular and Endovascular Surgery
Treatment varies depending on a patient's specific symptoms. In most cases, thoracic outlet syndrome is managed with pain medication and physical therapy.
Medication - Your doctor may recommend the following:
- Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
- Muscle relaxers
- Antidepressants
- Blood thinners
- Anti-platelets
Physical Therapy
A physical therapist will design some some exercises for you. The exercises will help to relieve symptoms by relaxing nearby muscles, improving posture and reducing pressure on nerves and blood vessels.
Lifestyle Changes
As part of your treatment, you may need to make lifestyle changes. Some of these may include:
- Avoid activity that causes pain
- Practice good posture
- Avoid repetitive motion
- Change your workstation layout
- If you are overweight, talk to your doctor about how you can lose weight
- Exercise regularly to improve strength, flexibility and range of motion
Surgery
The following procedure is offered for the treatment of a thoracic outlet syndrome depending if other treatments fail:
- Thoracic Outlet Decompression. The goal of surgery is to move or remove the source of the compression. In some people, this may involve removing part or all of the first rib to make more room for the nerves and blood vessels.
Prevention
There are no current guidelines to prevent thoracic outlet syndrome.