Thoracic Outlet Syndrome Symptoms
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The thoracic outlet is a part of the body that is located between your top rib and your collar bone. It is through here that you will find a number of blood vessels and nerves flowing through, in addition to muscle. There is usually plenty of space for everything to pass through, but this is not always the case.
Thoracic outlet syndrome is a condition in which space is limited in the thoracic outlet. This can cause the nerves and/or the blood vessels to become squeezed. This can, in turn, lead to a restriction of the flow of blood, and the pinching of the nerves can also lead to various symptoms.
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1. Gilliatt-Sumner Hand
Take a look at your hand and you will see that there is plenty of flesh at the base of your thumb. This is made up largely of the muscle that allows us to move our thumb, helping us to wrap our hands around objects so that we can get a tight grip. In instances of thoracic outlet syndrome, this muscle can waste away in a condition known as Gilliatt- Sumner hand. This will become quite visible as the muscle disappears and the skin gets closer to the bone underneath. This is a symptom of neurological thoracic outlet syndrome specifically.
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