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Clinical Presentation of Patients with NTOS

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Thoracic Outlet Syndrome

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Abstract

The diagnosis of Neurogenic Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (NTOS) is often considered in patients presenting with neck, shoulder, and arm pain, sensory disturbance and weakness especially when these complaints are worsened when assuming certain postures or when performing activities such as reaching overhead. The label of NTOS should be considered when it explains a patient’s suffering and disability; it is important for the clinician to differentiate ubiquitous complaints of innocuous positional numbness from those features of a condition that really are responsible for the patient’s disability. The main goal of the clinician is to determine for whom NTOS targeted therapy would lead to both alleviation of suffering and improve functional impairment.

The task of making the diagnosis and finding patients who may benefit from NTOS targeted treatment starts with the discovery of certain positive features which suggest NTOS; the present chapter outlines this initial step in the diagnostic process. Conditions may mimic NTOS or may be comorbid with it having dramatic effects upon treatment outcomes; these conditions are discussed in Chap. 8.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurology, Neurological Associates of West Los Angeles, 2811 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 790, Santa Monica, CA, 90403, USA

    Sheldon E. Jordan MD, FAAN

Authors
  1. Sheldon E. Jordan MD, FAAN
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Correspondence to Sheldon E. Jordan MD, FAAN .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Division of Vascular Surgery, University of South Florida, Tampa General Circle, STC 7016 2, Tampa, 33606, Florida, USA

    Karl A. Illig

  2. Barnes-Jewish Hospital, Department of Surgery, Washington University, Queeny Tower Campus Box, St. Louis, 63110, Missouri, USA

    Robert W. Thompson

  3. , Department of Surgery, John Hopkins Medical Institutions, Rutland Avenue - Ross 759 729, Baltimore, 21205, Maryland, USA

    Julie Ann Freischlag

  4. , Department of Thoracic Surgery, Blake 15, Massachusetts General Hospital, Fruit Street 55, Boston, 02114, Massachusetts, USA

    Dean M. Donahue

  5. Neurological Associates of West LA, Wilshire Blvd, Suite 790 2811, Santa Monica, 90403, California, USA

    Sheldon E. Jordan

  6. , Graduate Program in Physical Therapy, UCSF/SFSU, Balmoral Street 2429, Union City, 94587, California, USA

    Peter I. Edgelow

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© 2013 Springer-Verlag London

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Jordan, S.E. (2013). Clinical Presentation of Patients with NTOS. In: Illig, K., Thompson, R., Freischlag, J., Donahue, D., Jordan, S., Edgelow, P. (eds) Thoracic Outlet Syndrome. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-4366-6_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-4366-6_7

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4471-4365-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4471-4366-6

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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