Thoracic Outlet Syndrome—or TOS—is one of those conditions that a lot of people have never heard of, but once you describe the symptoms, it clicks. It happens when the nerves or blood vessels that travel from your neck down into your arms get compressed—usually somewhere between your collarbone and first rib.
What does that feel like? Most people describe:
- Numbness or tingling in the arm or hand
- A weak grip or tired arms, especially after carrying something
- Shoulder or neck pain that doesn’t seem to have a clear cause
A lot of times, people come in thinking they have a pinched nerve in their neck or carpal tunnel syndrome, and we discover it’s TOS. It can happen from things like poor posture (especially rounded shoulders), a past injury, or repetitive motion. Even stress and tension in your upper body can play a role.
In the office, I look at how your spine, ribs, and muscles are working together. We use chiropractic adjustments, posture retraining, and soft tissue techniques to take the pressure off that “outlet” and restore healthy movement and circulation.