What are some of the signs and symptoms of thoracic outlet syndrome?
Neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome is the most common form, but often the most difficult to diagnose. The symptoms that these patients notice are related to which nerves are being compressed and the severity of that compression. Patients can feel pain anywhere along the neck, shoulder or arm. This pain can be sharp or more of an ache. They may feel a sensation of “pins and needles” called paresthesia along part of the arm. Their arm or hand muscles may feel weak or clumsy. Vascular thoracic outlet syndrome can result from compression of either the artery or vein of the arm. Because the pressure is lower, and the blood flow is slower, compression of the vein can result in clot formation that can completely obstruct the vessel. This is known as the Paget-Schroetter syndrome. The arm can become swollen and discolored. Patients usually feel pain or heaviness in the arm. Compression of the artery in the thoracic outlet can cause numbness and paresthesia of the arm that may also become pale
