How do you fix a thoracic outlet?
Christopher Anderson
Published Feb 10, 2026
How do you fix a thoracic outlet?
Lifestyle and home remedies
- Maintain good posture.
- Take frequent breaks at work to move and stretch.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Avoid carrying heavy bags over your shoulder.
- Avoid activities that worsen symptoms, or find ways to adapt activities so that they don’t cause symptoms.
How do you treat thoracic outlet syndrome without surgery?
How is thoracic outlet syndrome treated?
- Physical therapy: The most common initial treatment for neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome is physical therapy.
- Medications: For pain relief, over-the-counter pain medications, such as aspirin, acetaminophen (Tylenol), or ibuprofen (Motrin), may be recommended.
How is thoracic treated?
Because pain in the thoracic region is often caused by muscle tension and poor posture, initial treatment efforts focus on relieving the tension with stretching, massage, and over-the-counter medications such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Heat and/or ice therapy can help reduce muscle pain and stiffness as well.
Can you recover from thoracic outlet syndrome?
Can thoracic outlet syndrome improve on its own? No. For people who have mild TOS, lifestyle changes may be enough to make the symptoms go away. But more serious TOS should be treated by a doctor as soon as possible.
How long does it take to fix thoracic outlet syndrome?
In this treatment, a small amount of botulinum toxin is injected into the scalene muscles near the site where they are thought to be compressing the nerves. Length of treatment: In rare cases, a single-dose injection may give permanent relief. However, most treatments usually last two to three months.
What is the thoracic outlet anatomy?
The thoracic outlet is defined as the space in the lower neck between the thorax and axilla through which the subclavian vein, subclavian artery, and brachial plexus travel from their central origins to their peripheral termini.
How serious is thoracic outlet syndrome?
Thoracic outlet syndrome can cause neck and shoulder pain, numbness and tingling of the fingers and a weak grip. If left untreated, TOS can lead to increased pain and decreased function. Certain forms of the disease can cause serious blood clots.
How do you sleep with tos?
Avoid carrying a bag or backpack on the affected side. Change sleeping positions. Try sleeping on one side, or sleep without a firm pillow. If symptoms are caused from overdeveloped neck mus- cles, reduce exercises that build the neck muscles.
What is TOS surgery?
This surgery involves removing the first rib and surrounding structures (such as scar tissue, extra cervical rib, and certain muscles) that were pressing in on the vessels and nerves. It is an inpatient surgery done under general anesthesia.
How long is thoracic outlet surgery?
This surgery takes about two hours to complete and requires a one- to three-day stay in the hospital. Recovery can take several weeks, during which your doctor may recommend restricting activities.
Does vascular TOS require surgery?
Surgery is usually recommended for venous TOS. This may involve removing both the scalene and subclavius muscles and first rib. The vein itself must also be treated. Blood clots often form around the damaged inner surface of the compressed vein.
Does physical therapy help thoracic outlet?
Physical therapy for thoracic outlet syndrome targets the 3 primary compression sites. Manual therapy techniques and stretching exercises target the scalene muscles, first rib, and pectoral muscles. Nerve gliding exercises are prescribed to improve the health of the irritated nerves.