Numbness and tingling in the upper extremities are common conditions millions of Americans experience each year. At Koru Chiropractic, numbness and tingling are some of the many symptoms that our patients come in for and many times experience complete resolution of their symptoms. In this article, we will highlight one of the more exciting cases that we have seen recently and explain why our patient now has no numbness and tingling. For the purpose of providing privacy, we will call the patient in this article Ann.
When Ann came into Koru, she was experiencing daily numbness and tingling in her hands. Ann is an amateur photographer, mountain biker, and avid skier. She had done many rounds of physical therapy, massage, and dry needling without any changes in her symptoms. After being told by her endocrinologist that her Hashimoto’s Disease was the cause of her numbness and tingling. Intuitively that answer didn’t feel right and she had a friend mention Koru. She had never been to a chiropractor and she reluctantly scheduled an appointment at Koru. Initially, Ann was skeptical because of the poor experiences her friends had from other local chiropractors and had essentially accepted the fact she would live with the numbness and tingling when she started care.
Based on further examination, questioning, and review of the test results the most likely diagnosis was neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome. This is the most common type of TOS and is seen in 95% of cases. Common causes of neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome:
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Whiplash: The trauma from this injury can cause impingement of the nerve roots that exit the cervical spine and cause improper biomechanics that affect the nerve roots.
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Bodybuilding: Built-up muscles in the neck may grow too large and compress nerves or the subclavian vessels.
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Weight gain: As with extra muscle mass, extra fat in the neck may compress nerves or subclavian vessels.
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Repeated overhead motions: People that have repeated overhead motions from work, exercise, or at work around the home. These motions can increase muscle tone which compresses nerves.
Ann being a photographer, was using a heavy camera that she repeatedly would have to lift and spend hours editing at the commuter with poor posture. Mountain biking also is a very strenuous activity that requires intense strain in the upper back and lower neck. Her symptoms began to get worse and for two years she suffered with no answers. She ended up giving up her hobbies because her numbness and tingling were getting progressively worse. After receiving her initial adjustment, she experienced a big difference. After only a few adjustments, she experienced complete relief of numbness and tingling. She is now a huge proponent of chiropractic and chooses to come in monthly because of the relief of her symptoms and the other benefits she has experienced through her care at Koru.
Neurogenic TOS is a very common condition that gets great results with chiropractic care. At Koru Chiropractic, we use advanced instrumentations that measure the function of the nervous system. We use two advanced chiropractic techniques that utilize X-ray imaging to be as specific as possible when addressing neurologically based issues. With the combination of NUCCA upper cervical technique and the Pierce Results System, our patients find great results! Contact us today for a free consultation.