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In the present day, it is understood that in addition to the subclavian artery, the subclavian vein and/or the brachial plexus may also be compressed. Adson was the first to describe TOS, which was originally thought to be solely an arterial issue, yet literature and research have evolved over the years. According to the Journal of Vascular Surgery, neurogenic TOS is the most common type of TOS, with over 90% of all patients being compromised (2). When classifying this syndrome, it should be defined by the type of TOS, whether it be arterial, venous, or neurogenic. It can be a difficult condition to diagnose, and clinicians should consider this pathology when differentially diagnosing symptoms originating from the neck and shoulder girdle. In this article, we will help you understand what thoracic outlet syndrome is, the causes behind it, and excellent exercises for thoracic outlet syndrome!Īs previously stated, the thoracic outlet is a nonspecific label. Furthermore, vascular TOS can further be subdivided into either Arterial TOS or Venous TOS. TOS can be broken down into neurogenic TOS (95-98% of cases according to Davidovic et al. Similar to other conditions, this diagnosis encompasses a host of signs and symptoms, yet does not always tell us the specific pain generator.
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Pain with TOS often presents anywhere between the neck, face, occipital region or into the chest, and shoulder, with paresthesia into the upper extremity based on where the symptoms are originating from. Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (TOS) is a fairly common diagnosis, affecting approximately 8% of the population.
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