The thoracic outlet is the area between your collarbone and your first rib. In this area, there is a combination of nerves, arteries, and veins that can be seen in the picture on the right. When someone has Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, or TOC, those nerves and blood vessels are compressed. This causes serious symptoms within the person. What causes Thoracic Outlet Syndrome?
There are multiple different possible causes for TOC. Medicine Net describes some of these possibilities include trauma from a car accident, repetitive motion and injures from work or sport activities, defects within the anatomical system, such as having an extra rib, and pregnancy. There are cases when the doctors cannot pinpoint a direct cause for Thoracic Outlet Syndrome.
What are the Symptoms of Thoracic Outlet Syndrome?
Mayo Clinic explains that the most common symptoms of TOC are pain in the neck and shoulder and tingling or numbness within the fingers. There are other symptoms that may appear depending on
These symptoms can include:
- discoloration of the hands
- pain and swelling within the arm
- weak or no pulse in the affected arm
- arm fatigue
- weakness of the arm
- weak grip
What is there treatment for Thoracic Outlet Syndrome?
In most cases, TOC is not life threatening and can be treated with physical therapy and pain management measures, such as medication, acupuncture, and massage therapy. The doctor will put together a specialized treatment plan that is determined by the severity and the blood vessels or nerves that are affected. In some cases, the compression is serious enough that surgery is required in order to begin blood flow to the arm and hand again. This is very rare though as most cases are treated with the above measures.
How can massage help with Thoracic Outlet Syndrome?
Massage can help with TOC by softening some of the fascia that surrounds the thoracic outlet. This helps to prevent any added compression on the outlet and relieve some compression by reducing the tightness of the surrounding fascia. Massage also helps to increase blood flow to the area. One of the biggest problems of TOC is the decreased blood flow to the arm and hand. According to Wakefield, by increasing the blood flow to the area, it makes more blood flow through the arm and hand. This is very helpful introducing the amount of swelling, tingling, numbness, and fatigue within the arm and hand of the affect outlet.
It is important that you consult your medical professional before starting any treatment for Thoracic Outlet Syndrome.
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