Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat It IsCausesSymptomsDiagnosisTreatment
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What It Is
Causes
Symptoms
Diagnosis
Treatment
Thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) is a condition that occurs most commonly when the nerves are compressed as they go from the top of the rib to the collarbone. It causes upper extremity pain,numbness, and tingling (not always together, and not the same symptoms in every person).
In this article we will explore what thoracic outlet syndrome is, the symptoms and causes, as well as diagnosis and treatment.
Tetra Images / Getty Images
What Is Thoracic Outlet Syndrome?
What Causes Throacic Outlet Syndrome?
TOS tends to occur after a traumatic injury, although the symptoms may not start until weeks after an injury. Car accidents are one main cause of TOS.
Symptoms of Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
Typical symptoms of TOS occur in patients who are young, active, and otherwise healthy. Whereas some of the conditions confused with this condition occur in less healthy patients, TOS often seems to come up out of nowhere in otherwise healthy individuals.
The less common vascular type of TOS may cause swelling of the arm (venous TOS) or paleness and cold intolerance of the extremity (arterial TOS). However, the most common symptoms for neurogenic TOSinclude:
Diagnosing Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
The most challenging aspect of thoracic outlet syndrome is that it is a difficult condition to diagnose.Most patients with TOS have been diagnosed with another, if not several other, conditions along the way. Often many tests have been performed and treatments have been attempted without success.
Some of the common problems that may produce symptoms similar to TOS include:
Some patients have been told they have a psychosomatic illness orfibromyalgia. Other patients, who have not found relief from their symptoms of arm or shoulder pain, may find this diagnosis yet not have the condition. The best advice is to find a physician who understands this condition and is willing to work with you as the management of TOS is seldom quick and easy.
Treatment of Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
TOS can be difficult to diagnose and is relatively uncommon; therefore, it may take a long time to discover it is the cause of your symptoms. Many patients with TOS visit a number of doctors of different specialties and have many tests before being definitively diagnosed with TOS.
Most patients can find relief with non-surgical treatment. The common steps include resting (especially after trauma-induced TOS), avoiding specific physical activities that cause symptoms, andphysical therapy. Injections into the muscles around the clavicle may relieve symptoms if the muscle is the cause of the TOS.
Surgery is generally reserved for those with persistent symptoms, or in cases of vascular TOS which can be more of an emergency situation. Fortunately, most patients can find relief without having to take that step.
Summary
Thoracic outlet syndrome is a condition that causes pain, numbness, and tingling in the upper extremities. Most cases are from trauma, however, repetitive stress can also cause TOS. Most patients can employ a mix of physical therapy, rest, and injections to treat the underlying cause of TOS. In extreme cases, surgery might be an option. If you think you might be experiencing symptoms of TOS, consult a healthcare provider.
6 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Masocatto NO, Da-Matta T, Prozzo TG, Couto WJ, Porfirio G.Thoracic outlet syndrome: a narrative review.Rev Col Bras Cir. 2019;46(5):e20192243. PMID.31859722. Published December, 2019.Jones MR, Prabhakar A, Viswanath O, et al.Thoracic outlet syndrome: a comprehensive review of pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment.Pain Ther. 2019;8(1):5-18. doi:10.1007/s40122-019-0124-2Hussain MA, Aljabri B, Al-Omran M.Vascular thoracic outlet syndrome.Seminars in Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. 2016;28(1):151-157. doi. 10.1053/j.semtcvs.2015.10.008. Published September, 2016.Freischlag J, Orion K.Understanding thoracic outlet syndrome.Scientifica. 2014;2014:1-6. doi.10.1155/2014/248163. Published March, 2014.Povlsen S, Povlsen B. Diagnosing thoracic outlet syndrome: current approaches and future directions.Diagnostics (Basel). 2018;8(1):E21. PMID. 29558408. Published March, 2018.National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. National Institutes of Health.Thoracic Outlet Syndrome.Additional ReadingKuhn JE, et al. “Thoracic Outlet Syndrome” J Am Acad Orthop Surg April 2015 vol. 23 no. 4 222-232.
6 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Masocatto NO, Da-Matta T, Prozzo TG, Couto WJ, Porfirio G.Thoracic outlet syndrome: a narrative review.Rev Col Bras Cir. 2019;46(5):e20192243. PMID.31859722. Published December, 2019.Jones MR, Prabhakar A, Viswanath O, et al.Thoracic outlet syndrome: a comprehensive review of pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment.Pain Ther. 2019;8(1):5-18. doi:10.1007/s40122-019-0124-2Hussain MA, Aljabri B, Al-Omran M.Vascular thoracic outlet syndrome.Seminars in Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. 2016;28(1):151-157. doi. 10.1053/j.semtcvs.2015.10.008. Published September, 2016.Freischlag J, Orion K.Understanding thoracic outlet syndrome.Scientifica. 2014;2014:1-6. doi.10.1155/2014/248163. Published March, 2014.Povlsen S, Povlsen B. Diagnosing thoracic outlet syndrome: current approaches and future directions.Diagnostics (Basel). 2018;8(1):E21. PMID. 29558408. Published March, 2018.National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. National Institutes of Health.Thoracic Outlet Syndrome.Additional ReadingKuhn JE, et al. “Thoracic Outlet Syndrome” J Am Acad Orthop Surg April 2015 vol. 23 no. 4 222-232.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Masocatto NO, Da-Matta T, Prozzo TG, Couto WJ, Porfirio G.Thoracic outlet syndrome: a narrative review.Rev Col Bras Cir. 2019;46(5):e20192243. PMID.31859722. Published December, 2019.Jones MR, Prabhakar A, Viswanath O, et al.Thoracic outlet syndrome: a comprehensive review of pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment.Pain Ther. 2019;8(1):5-18. doi:10.1007/s40122-019-0124-2Hussain MA, Aljabri B, Al-Omran M.Vascular thoracic outlet syndrome.Seminars in Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. 2016;28(1):151-157. doi. 10.1053/j.semtcvs.2015.10.008. Published September, 2016.Freischlag J, Orion K.Understanding thoracic outlet syndrome.Scientifica. 2014;2014:1-6. doi.10.1155/2014/248163. Published March, 2014.Povlsen S, Povlsen B. Diagnosing thoracic outlet syndrome: current approaches and future directions.Diagnostics (Basel). 2018;8(1):E21. PMID. 29558408. Published March, 2018.National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. National Institutes of Health.Thoracic Outlet Syndrome.
Masocatto NO, Da-Matta T, Prozzo TG, Couto WJ, Porfirio G.Thoracic outlet syndrome: a narrative review.Rev Col Bras Cir. 2019;46(5):e20192243. PMID.31859722. Published December, 2019.
Jones MR, Prabhakar A, Viswanath O, et al.Thoracic outlet syndrome: a comprehensive review of pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment.Pain Ther. 2019;8(1):5-18. doi:10.1007/s40122-019-0124-2
Hussain MA, Aljabri B, Al-Omran M.Vascular thoracic outlet syndrome.Seminars in Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. 2016;28(1):151-157. doi. 10.1053/j.semtcvs.2015.10.008. Published September, 2016.
Freischlag J, Orion K.Understanding thoracic outlet syndrome.Scientifica. 2014;2014:1-6. doi.10.1155/2014/248163. Published March, 2014.
Povlsen S, Povlsen B. Diagnosing thoracic outlet syndrome: current approaches and future directions.Diagnostics (Basel). 2018;8(1):E21. PMID. 29558408. Published March, 2018.
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. National Institutes of Health.Thoracic Outlet Syndrome.
Kuhn JE, et al. “Thoracic Outlet Syndrome” J Am Acad Orthop Surg April 2015 vol. 23 no. 4 222-232.
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
