Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
Your body is made up of hundreds of nerves, muscles and bones. As Chiropractors we are interested in all three of these components…as well as many other aspects of your health!
When you feel pain it is often due to a Neuromusculoskeletal cause, which is just a fancy way of saying your nerves, muscles or bones, or more commonly all three, are responsible. This pain can be from a sudden injury i.e. acute, an old injury i.e. chronic, a repetitive injury i.e. overuse, or sometimes a variation in your anatomy i.e. congenital.
Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, more commonly known as TOS, is one of the many Neuromusculoskeletal conditions people may present with at WYLD Chiropractic. You may be suffering from TOS if you are experiencing pain, weakness, numbness or tingling in your arm.
There are 4 common causes of TOS:
1. Tight muscles at the front and side of your neck called the scalene muscles
2. Reduced space between your collar bone and first rib
3. Cervical ribs (most people only have ribs in their thoracic spine i.e. mid back)
4. Tight muscles at the front of your chest called your pectoral muscles
It is common to see this condition in people who are pregnant, have had prior injuries, those with poor posture (i.e. rounded shoulders and head forward), and people who have a job or hobby that involves repetitive overhead activities or prolonged time spent in one position (think of a violinist!)
There are lots of ways you can get relief from this annoying condition. Book to see us at WYLD Chiropractic if you would like help understanding the cause of your pain.
Please note there are lots of causes for pain, weakness, numbness or tingling in your arm. We recommended seeing your chosen primary health care provider if you are experiencing any of the above symptoms.
How Chiropractic Care Can Help
Postural changes are known to affect the structural integrity of the spine and cause nerve related issues. This means that the bones that make up the spine aren’t moving as they should. This affects the surrounding spinal muscles which contain sensory receptors that act as “eyes for the brain.”
Areas of spinal dysfunction will cause the surrounding muscles to act as protective muscles instead and will send incorrect signals to the brain about the body. The brain will perceive these signals as normal and adapt to it causing an inflammation process in that area. Chiropractors will find those dysfunctional areas and perform a high velocity, low amplitude adjustment. This will stretch the surrounding muscles and help re-establish normal processing within the brain. This will allow the brain to have greater awareness of what’s going on in the body, help in the prevention of muscle fatigue and help in the proper alignment of the spine. (Haavik et al, 2021).
What To Expect At Your First Chiropractic Visit
An initial Chiropractic exam for back pain will typically have three parts: a consultation, case history, and physical examination. Laboratory analysis and X-ray examination may be performed.
Consultation. The patient meets with the chiropractor and provides a brief synopsis of his or her lower back pain, such as:
Duration and frequency of symptoms
Description of the symptoms (e.g. burning, throbbing)
Areas of pain
What makes the pain feel better (e.g. sitting, stretching)
What makes the pain feel worse (e.g. standing, lifting).
Case history. The chiropractor identifies the area(s) of complaint and the nature of the back pain by asking questions and learning more about different areas of the patient's history, including:
Family history
Dietary habits
Past history of other treatments (chiropractic, osteopathic, medical and other)
Occupational history
Psychosocial history
Other areas to probe, often based on responses to above questions
Physical examination. A chiropractor may utilize a variety of methods to determine the spinal segments that require chiropractic treatments, including but not limited to static and motion palpation techniques determining spinal segments that are hypo mobile (restricted in their movement) or fixated. Depending on the results of the above examination, a chiropractor may use additional diagnostic tests, such as:
X-ray to locate subluxations (the altered position of the vertebra)
A device that detects the temperature of the skin in the paraspinal region to identify spinal areas with a significant temperature variance that requires manipulation.
Chiropractors are trained in a variety of methods to assess the underlying cause of the problem, including:
Evaluation and management services. Chiropractors are trained in examining the joints, bones, muscles and tendons of the spine, head, extremities and other areas of the body with the purpose of noting any misalignment, tenderness, asymmetry, defects or other problems.
Neurologic and other common physical examination procedures. Chiropractors are trained to perform a variety of neurologic tests (nerve root compression/tension, motor strength, coordination, deep tendon and pathological reflexes, etc.) and are skilled in performing orthopedic, cardiovascular and many other common examinations.
Specialised assessment. Chiropractors are trained to assess range of motion, stability, muscle strength, muscle tone and other assessments with the lower back.
Common diagnostic studies. Chiropractors are trained in use of diagnostic studies and tools such as radiography (X-rays), laboratory diagnostics and neurodiagnostics.
References
2. https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases--conditions/thoracic-outlet-syndrome
3. https://www.webmd.com/brain/thoracic-outlet-syndrome
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6514035/
5. https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD007218.pub3/pdf/full
8. Haavik, H., Kumari, N., Holt, K., Niazi, I. K., Amjad, I., Pujari, A. N., ... & Murphy, B. (2021). The contemporary model of vertebral column joint dysfunction and impact of high-velocity, low-amplitude controlled vertebral thrusts on neuromuscular function. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 1-46 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34164712/