Thoracic outlet syndrome from whiplash is something most people do not understand until they experience an accident that brings it into their life directly. If you or someone you love has been in an accident resulting in thoracic outlet syndrome from whiplash, it is important to understand what this is, what causes it, and what symptoms alert of its presence.
The thoracic outlet is the section of the body from the rib cage up to the collar bone. When you are in an auto accident and experience that force pressing you into the seat, pressing against the seatbelt, or jerking back and forth, there is a good chance that the thoracic outlet will experience trauma that could result in thoracic outlet syndrome.
Thoracic Outlet Syndrome Symptoms
Thoracic outlet syndrome refers to a post-traumatic medical condition that involves:
- Neck pain
- Shoulder pain
- Numb fingers or forearm
- Tingling fingers or forearm
- Weak hand grip
- Pain or aches in armpit
- Poor circulation in hand or forearm
- One arm cooler than the other
- One arm paler than the other
Someone suffering from thoracic outlet syndrome from whiplash may feel weak in the hand and have difficulty gripping or lifting things. When the syndrome only affects one arm, it may be noted that the weaker arm is pale and is cooler to the touch.
Lifting anything heavy may be painful or uncomfortable due to tingling and numbing in the fingers and inner portion of the forearm. The neck and shoulders can also feel tingly, numb or painful, which makes it even more difficult if not impossible to lift heavy items.
More specifically, someone suffering with thoracic outlet syndrome will experience tingling and/ or numbness in the last three fingers. These are the fingers most often affected by this condition.
What Causes Thoracic Outlet Syndrome from Whiplash
Thoracic outlet syndrome is caused by compression or blockage of vessels that extend from the base of the neck to the armpits and down the arms. The medical names for these vessels are the brachial plexus and subclavian vessels. These vessels extend through very narrow passages down into the arms, so it doesn’t take much to cause enough compression to interfere with their functioning.
When these vessels are compressed, numbness and tingling is experienced in the arms and hands because communication has broken down from the neck and brain down to the arms. When thoracic outlet syndrome occurs from whiplash, the compression is caused from the force and jerking involved in the accident that caused the whiplash.
Besides accidents, you can get thoracic outlet syndrome from work conditions that force you to take an inappropriate body position and movement over and over for a period of years. Yet, most cases of this syndrome do occur as a result of an accident involving whiplash.
Treating Thoracic Outlet Syndrome from Whiplash
The bad news is thoracic outlet syndrome from whiplash can be quite uncomfortable while it lasts. The good news is most people will be able to recover completely from the syndrome if they are consistent with physical therapy as well as exercise and improved posture at home.
The goal of therapy and exercise is to bring the body into proper alignment and posture while opening up those passageways to relieve the compression on those vessels. If exercises are performed at home routinely and posture is actively corrected, physical therapy maneuvers often prove to be highly effective at relieving the syndrome.
In some cases, doctors may perform surgery if there is significant pain that cannot be controlled through therapy and anti-inflammatory medication.
This article is considered general information only; please consult a medical professional concerning your specific condition.
Related posts:
- About Arm or Shoulder Pain from Whiplash After a Car Accident
- Is It Chronic Pain or Traumatic Brain Injury? Post-Accident Screening & Care is Crucial
- Post-Accident Headaches: Is Your Headache Telling You Something?
- Lower Back Pain After a Car Accident: It Could be Related to Whiplash
- The “Pain in the Neck” Factor of Whiplash