Is Your Neck or Shoulder Causing Hand Tingling? It Might Be Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
Understanding Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (TOS): How Chiropractic Care Can Help
Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (TOS) is a condition that affects the nerves and blood vessels between your collarbone and first rib a space known as the thoracic outlet. When these structures become compressed, patients may experience pain, numbness, tingling, and weakness in the shoulders, arms, and hands. TOS can significantly interfere with daily activities, work, and athletic performance.
There are three main types of TOS:
- Neurogenic TOS: the most common type, involving compression of the brachial plexus (nerves).
- Venous TOS: involving compression of veins.
- Arterial TOS: involving compression of arteries.
Common causes include:
- Poor posture (especially rounded shoulders and forward head carriage)
- Repetitive overhead activity (such as weightlifting or certain occupations)
- Trauma (like whiplash or a fall)
- Congenital abnormalities (such as extra rib or tight scalene muscles)
Symptoms to Watch For
Patients with TOS often report:
- Numbness or tingling in the arms or fingers
- Weak grip strength
- Arm fatigue with overhead use
- Neck and shoulder pain
- Coldness or discoloration in the hand (in vascular types)
How Chiropractic Care Can Help
Chiropractic care focuses on restoring proper joint alignment, especially in the cervical and upper thoracic spine, which directly impacts the thoracic outlet. Misalignments (subluxations) in these areas can lead to postural distortions that contribute to compression of the nerves and vessels.
Gonstead chiropractic, in particular, utilizes precise, full-spine X-rays and specific manual adjustments to correct these subluxations. By restoring proper biomechanics, chiropractic adjustments can relieve nerve pressure, improve posture, and reduce muscular tension that worsens TOS symptoms.
Research supports this approach. A 2017 case report published in The Journal of Physical Therapy Science showed that manual therapy and postural correction significantly reduced symptoms in patients with neurogenic TOS (Lee & Kim, 2017). Another study in Clinical Biomechanics noted that altered cervical spine alignment was a key risk factor in neurovascular compression (Morris et al., 2006).
