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Holiday Stresses Can Increase Health Risks

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This is a Guest Post by Dr. John Koc, D.C. from Phoenix, AZ.  You can find Dr. Koc on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

The International Chiropractors Association (ICA) has issued helpful holiday hints and recommendations to ward off health problems over the holidays. Overeating was of particular interest as it related to physical stress placed on the spine. According to the release, “A bulging stomach can put pressure on your body support systems, including your spine and spinal nerves. Every extra pound in the abdominal region could put 10 pounds more stress on the lower back. This stress can last a short time, such as just after eating a heavy meal or lifting a package improperly. It may also become chronic, as heavy eating during the holidays may lead to weight gain, and carrying extra pounds can put added strain on the supporting structures of the spine and nervous system.”

The release also notes that additional weight can force the pelvis and torso to shift and cause changes in spinal balance, leading to spinal misalignments (known as subluxations) and malfunction in the entire body. The ICA has prepared several helpful tips to follow. They are:

  • When lifting packages, firewood, or your frozen holiday turkey and other heavy items, lift with your legs, not your back. When lifting, hold objects close to your body; rather than flexing forward, maintain a slight arch in your lower back and bend at the knees before standing up with the object. That way, the lifting is done primarily with the strong muscles of the legs supporting the load.
  • When cooking or standing for an extended period, elevate one foot with a foot rest or stacked books, about six inches from the floor. Alternately elevating each foot relieves tired back and leg muscles–similar to the function the foot rest serves for customers standing at a counter–and helps prevent bad posture habits that can lead to abnormal spinal curvatures.
  • When traveling by car or plane, place a pillow or folded towel behind the small of the back to help maintain the arch in your lower back and support the rest of the body properly. This relieves the discs and joint structures of the spine from unnecessary pressure.
  • In addition to fastening your seat belt for car trips, adjust the head rest to align with your head, at least up to ear level. This is important to support and protect the head and neck in the unfortunate event of a sudden stop.
  • Get enough rest. Many health problems that occur with the holidays are simply due to fatigue. By simply getting adequate rest, you can help prevent structural strain, emotional and cognitive imbalance, and general health problems.

Types of Thoracic Outlet Syndrome – Part 3/3

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TOS types

There different types of TOS: neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome, venous (VTOS) thoracic outlet syndrome, the arterial thoracic outlet syndrome, vascular thoracic outlet syndrome and the nonspecific thoracic outlet syndrome.

Neurogenic Thoracic Outlet Syndrome

This is the most common type of Thoracic Outlet Syndrome. About 95% of cases of TOS belong to this type. The brachial plexus compression is the main characteristic of this type of TOS. This is related with the abnormalities of having a bony and soft tissue on the region of the lower neck that also include the area of the cervical rib. It compresses and irritates the brachial plexus which is a complex network of nerves that supply the sensation and movement of the arms and hands.

Venous (VTOS)  Thoracic Outlet Syndrome

This is a condition that is caused by major vein damage in the upper chest and lower neck. It develops quite suddenly and usually has an effect of tiring and unusual arm exercises.

If a patient is suffering from this type of TOS, he or she would experience symptoms such as hand, fingers and arm swelling. The patient may also feel like a weight is put on his neck or arms. Weakness of arms and neck may also be experienced. Swollen anterior chest wall veins may also appear.

Arterial Thoracic Outlet Syndrome

This is the least common type of thoracic outlet syndrome but this is also the most serious of all types. The cause for this type of TOS is congenital where an abnormality of the bones is situated on the lower neck and/or at the upper chest area. A person who suffers from this type of thoracic outlet syndrome experience symptoms such as sensitivity to cold in their fingers and hands, poor circulation of blood  to the arms, hands & fingers as well as pain, numbness and soreness of their fingers.

Vascular Thoracic Outlet Syndrome

This type of thoracic outlet syndrome affects the blood vessels located in the neck, armpit, shoulder, arm, hand or forearm. Usually, the affected vessels are the brachial plexus or the subclavian vessels. Compression of the vessels, whether it is due to muscle or bone inflammation or because of scar tissue will cause circulation impairment. Swelling or cyanosis can be caused by the loss of circulation in the hands. With severe cases, one can suffer from the condition known as Raynaud’s phenomenon which feels like your hands are burning. Cold usually trigger Raynaud’s phenomenon.

Nonspecific Thoracic Outlet Syndrome

It is also termed as common TOS or disputed TOS. There are doctors who doesn’t believe this type of TOS actually exist while other doctors say this condition is actually quite common. Patients suffering from this condition suffer from chronic pain on the thoracic outlet but there’s no known cause of the pain.

Filed Under: TOS

Thoracic Outlet Syndrome Treatment Techniques – Part 2/3

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Thoracic Outlet Syndrome treatment techniques

TOS

There are different treatment methods available for thoracic outlet syndrome such as exercises, treatment therapy and even surgery.  There are other non-conventional treatments available too, such as the Chinese acupuncture.

Chinese acupuncture needles

The Chinese acupuncture technique uses microcurrent device that are polarized at 50 to 75 microamperes, and zimmer pads. It uses point combination in treatment of TOS. PC6, SI3, ST41 and Liv4 are point combinations used.

The treatment takes 4 weeks with 2 to 3 sessions each week. The acupuncturist would insert the acupuncture needles subcutaneously and place stimulation pads (microcurrent) on top of each of the needles.

The polarized acutron mentor pads are applied on top of the needles directly. It has a positive and negative pad; the positive pad’s applied on the scalene muscle insertion (anterior) and the negative pad on the PC6 or the SI3. The electric stimulation usually cannot be felt by the patient as the microcurrent is sub-sensational. Some patients are more sensitive though and they can feel a tingling or vibrating sensation on the area but it’s quite subtle.

After 8 treatments, patients notice some improvement. The pain and burning or tingling sensation is minimized and the patient’s requirement for pain medication is also decreased or even stopped. Daily activities that require strength on the upper extremities are easily performed compared before the patient had the treatment.

With acupuncture therapy, the patient is still required to do some stretching exercises at home. These exercises are targeted on improving and recovery of the scalene muscles and tendons. It should be performed 3 times a day with at least 5 repetitions each time. Posture should also be improved to gain the proper biomechanics of the body.

Home exercises

A treatment plan for thoracic outlet syndrome or TOS requires a home exercise program to increase the speed of recovery. These exercises must be performed carefully and slowly. Each stretch position must be done to a point that you stretch without experiencing pain. Once you feel pain that means it’s too much and the patient must decrease the length of the stretch to a point that it is still painless. As you progress, you can extend the length of the stretch with pain as an indicator of your limit.

Corner stretch, neck stretch, shoulder rolls, thoracic extension, and overhead raise are just some of the home exercises prescribed by the medical professional to be exercised by the patient suffering from TOS.

Chiropractic Approach

Proper treatment of thoracic outlet requires an accurate understanding of the postural factors involved. Most recent treatment programs consider evaluation of joint mobility and muscular imbalance.

Once diagnosis of thoracic outlet syndrome is made by a Doctor of Chiropractic, a specific treatment program is designed for the patient.

More specifically, chiropractic management will focus on joint mobility in the cervical (neck) and thoracic (upper back) regions of the spine. Frequently, patients with thoracic outlet will have joint tightness in these areas which is treated with spinal manipulative therapy, stretching and rehabilitation in the office.

Keep in mind; there are other conditions that may cause similar symptoms. In either case, if you are currently suffering from similar symptoms, be sure to consult your chiropractor.

A chiropractic doctor might also advice you exercise routines and they may even prescribe you with their own exercise programs. Make sure you consult with the doctor before doing any of the home exercises to make sure that what you’re doing is actually going to improve and not worsen your condition.

The home exercises treatment technique combined with a proper treatment therapy from a medical professional is the best way to increase the speed of recovery and to diminish the pain suffered by TOS patients.

If you have any additional information, please write about it in our comment section.

Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, Physiology and Causes – Part 1/3

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What is Thoracic Outlet Syndrome?

TOS

In order to know what Thoracic Outlet Syndrome is, or TOS, it’s best to know what and where you can find the Thoracic Outlet. The space between the collarbone and the first rib is known as the Thoracic Outlet.

The TOS involves a group of disorders that involves the thoracic outlet whether as caused by an injury, compression or irritation of the blood vessels, nerves and veins. The patient may experience neck pain and/or shoulder pain that reaches the arms and even causes finger numbness.

What Are the Causes of  TOS?

The causes for Thoracic Outlet Syndrome vary greatly but generally, it is caused by compression of the blood vessels and nerves in the thoracic outlet. This compression can be caused by any of the following: trauma, congenital defects, poor posture, activity, joint pressure or even pregnancy.

You can have a congenital defect that may cause you to suffer from this condition. If you have an extra rib just above your first rib (cervical rib), or if you have an abnormal fibrous band that connects the spine to your rib, then you are more likely to have TOS.

If you suffer from an accident that causes compression to your thoracic outlet and you experience pain in that area, then you may be suffering from TOS. The onset of the symptoms doesn’t occur after the trauma though as it is usually delayed.

Poor posture can compress the thoracic outlet. Drooped shoulders as well as constantly keeping a forward head position could cause TOS. Repetitive activity is also another cause as the body’s tissue can wear out over time as you do the same activity over and over again. The types of repetitive activities vary from typing to swimming.

Being overweight causes different types of problems. When you are overweight or obese, you tend to put more pressure on your joints that can also cause Thoracic Outlet Syndrome. It’s like carrying around a huge backpack wherever you go.

Pregnancy, just like with obesity, can also cause thoracic outlet syndrome. But with pregnancy, the woman’s body changes and one of these changes happen in the joints. The joints tend to loosen up during pregnancy and women become more prone to suffering from TOS.

What are the Symptoms to Watch out for?

The symptoms of the Thoracic Outlet Syndrome vary as it depends on which of the structures are suffering from compression. The nerves, veins or arteries can get compressed and symptoms such as shoulder or neck pain, pain on the hands and arms, numbness of fingers, vein thrombosis, swelling and arm pain, collarbone throbbing, and discoloration of the hand are just some of the symptoms associated with Thoracic Outlet Syndrome.

How is it detected?

The Thoracic Outlet Syndrome is difficult to diagnose as the severity and symptoms vary greatly. Doctors would suggest the patient to take medical tests to see if they are indeed suffering from TOS. Such tests include Adson’s maneuver, Wright test and Roos stress test.

If you have any additional information about TOS please feel free to ad it in a comment section.