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What is it?
The thoracic outlet syndrome designates a nerve compression, sometimes venous or more rarely arterial, at the level of the passage between the neck and the shoulders.
It will generally manifest itself by discomfort or pain in the upper limb with numbness of the arm and hand, a loss of strength and a feeling of weakness.
These compressive syndromes can occur in the interscalene triangle (between the scalene muscles), the costoclavicular (or subclavicular) space, and the subcoracoid space (under the pectoralis minor muscle tendon).
The consequences of this thoracic-brachial outlet syndrome are as follows:
Neurological compression (in 95% of cases) due to brachial plexus involvement.
Vascular compression (rarer) in case of damage to the subclavian artery or vein.
What are the causes?
Anatomical variations (such as having an extra rib).
Trauma. A whiplash, an injury to the cervical spine or shoulder can lead to internal compensations compressing these nerves and vascular bundles
Bad postures, in particular when the shoulder is flexed or lowered during most of the working day, when holding the head forward for a long time or when playing bowed instruments intensively...
Pregnancy (due to the postural modifications) or being overweight is also a moderate risk factor for this syndrome.
Osteopathic treatment
The osteopath will work on the tensions and restrictions of mobility that are likely to apear in the cervical area and the thoracic spine, in the shoulder complex and in your thorax, in order to release nervous and vascular compressions within the thoraco-brachial crossing.
In addition, specific muscle strengthening and stretching exercises will help to have a modify the posture wich will reduce the risks of chronic compression.
Rehabilitation with a physiotherapist or chiropractic adjustment can also be considered to accompany the work done with the osteopath.