“It’s Never One Thing”.
Lets take a look at this graph.
Clean Windows Mildly Dirty Windows Fairly Dirty Win dow Dirty Windows Very Dirty Windows
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Do you realize that your windows are progressively getting dirty as time goes by?
When would you give your diagnosis of dirty windows?
When are your windows dirty (sick) at a “4” , “8” or do you wait until you’re at a “12”. What is the official number to call your windows dirty?
At what number do you decide to wash (treat) the window?
This is my concern. When are you diagnosed with Thoracic Outlet Syndrome?
Is it when you have your symptoms and objective findings that fit into a group of rules that define a serious condition? My belief is to catch the condition when your windows are showing signs of being “dirty”. Especially if the condition is coming from multiple areas. Many people will wait until the problem is given a name and then try to do something about it…by that time a lot of changes, possibly permanent, in our body have occurred.
If we can address the problem from early on by addressing the postural changes, muscle changes, etc. while the symptoms are still mild we may be able to help people with Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Multiple Crush Syndromes.
What we frequently see is somebody going to their internist with tingling into their hands and they are told to take a medication to help the symptoms. Usually Tylenol, Advil or something stronger like Lyrica. The patient may have gone to a chiropractor or physical therapist that is unfamiliar with this condition and they only have only 1 part of the problem treated or worse yet...the wrong part! The symptoms will abate however the patient has not made any changes to their lifestyle.
The condition is allowed to progress.
Now let’s add in a condition like diabetes, alcoholism, or neck arthritis that causes additional neuropathy to the nerve. When do we reach a point where the cause(s) (bad posture, improper breathing, repetitive stress disorder, etc.) of the original problem is addressed? Can you see the problem? Better yet, can you see the benefit to educating the medical community as to the causes and corrections of compressive syndromes? The Thoracic Outlet Syndrome Relief Center is commited to sharing our approach to treat the patient as a whole, in a complete fashion to address the many aspects of these conditions.
Gail M. Sault, Founder and CEO of the American TOS Association, A non-profit corporation dedicated to Thoracic Outlet Syndrome education and research says,
"Early detection and correction is the key in combating the long term complications of Thoracic Outlet Syndrome. It is important for TOS patients (with non life threatening forms of TOS) to consider all alternatives before undergoing TOS surgery. Chiropractic medicine is emerging as a viable alternative for those patients looking for a less invasive approach. This is why it was so important for the American TOS Association to include Alternative Medicine in our Board of Directors and I am excited to be working with Dr. Weinberg as we continue to bring Thoracic Outlet Syndrome to the forefront of modern medicine."
