The reason why thoracic pain is a red flag is because thoracic pain can mean that you have a serious underlying health issues like infection, fractures or even in some cases cancer which require prompt medical attention.
Thoracic pain is often musculoskeletal in origin, although having thoracic pain can also be referred pain that comes from other organs or even be a sign of a more sinister spinal pathology.
Serious conditions that can cause thoracic pain include fractures, infections, cancer and organ issues.
Fractures such as traumatic or pathologic fractures due to underlying conditions such as osteoporosis or cancer can result in thoracic pain.
Spinal infections such as osteomyelitis or discitis can result in thoracic pain and require immediate treatment.
And both primary spinal tumors and cancers which have metastasized to the spine can result in thoracic pain.
And even lung, esophageal and stomach cancers are also possible causes of thoracic pain in the thoracic region.
And even organ conditions like issues with the lungs, esophagus, stomach, gallbladder and pancreas can result referred pain in the thoracic area.
And even conditions such as herniated discs, spondylolisthesis and spinal stenosis can result in thoracic pain, especially if they involve nerve compression.
Red flag symptoms that are associated with thoracic pain are fever and chills which may indicate an infection, unexplained weight loss, which may indicate cancer, constant and unrelieved pain, especially at night, which can indicate a serious condition, neurological deficits such as weakness, numbness and tingling in the extremities and a history of cancer or other significant medical conditions and trauma, especially in older adults or those with osteoporosis.
And even bladder or bowel dysfunction can indicate spinal cord involvement and pain associated with coughing or shortness of breath can indicate lung involvement in thoracic pain.
The causes of thoracic spine pain is often a result of muscle tension or muscle irritation.
Muscle irritation and muscle tension in your thoracic spine and thoracic spine region is often caused by prolonged sitting or poor posture which leads to tightened muscles and pain.
Other causes of thoracic spine pain include improper lifting techniques, herniated discs, degenerative changes in your thoracic spine, injuries and ligament sprains.
With thoracic spine pain you should sleep on your back with a pillow under your knees, which helps to maintain your spine's natural curve and distribute your weight evenly and reduce the pressure on your back.
If sleeping on your side with thoracic spine pain, you should place a pillow between your knees to help align your spine and reduce strain on your lower back.
If you have thoracic spine pain and sleep on your side, you should draw your legs up slightly towards your chest and put a pillow between your legs.
When your thoracic spine hurts it's most often a result of muscle tension or muscle irritation.
Muscle irritation and muscle tension in your thoracic spine and thoracic spine region is often caused by prolonged sitting or poor posture which leads to tightened muscles and pain.
Other causes of thoracic spine pain include improper lifting techniques, herniated discs, degenerative changes in your thoracic spine, injuries and ligament sprains.
Using a heating pad and taking some painkillers such as ibuprofen or paracetamol and doing gentle exercise like walking and swimming and getting rest can help relieve thoracic spine pain.
The symptoms of thoracic spine nerve damage are fever and lower back pain, loss of urine or bowel control, loss of feeling in your rectal region or genitals and a significant leg weakness in the legs or loss of sensation.
If the thoracic outlet syndrome is left untreated it can lead to increased pain and decreased function and may even cause serious blood clots.
Thoracic outlet syndrome can cause a weak grip, tingling and numbness in the fingers, shoulder pain and neck pain.
Thoracic outlet syndrome is worse at night because when you're laying down you put more compression on the thoracic outlet area.
If your sleeping in the wrong position and on the affected area it can make the thoracic outlet syndrome worse.
Sleeping on your back or on the side that is not affected by the thoracic outlet syndrome can help reduce the symptoms of thoracic outlet syndrome at night.
The kind of pillow that is best for thoracic outlet syndrome is a flat pillow that supports your neck and head.
Place a small pillow under your knees as well if you feel any sort of tension in your lower back.
You should also place a pillow under the affected arm to lift the arm off the bed and reduce the pressure on your thoracic outlet.
The best position to sleep in with thoracic outlet syndrome is to sleep laying on your back.
Although you can also sleep on your side with a pillow between your legs to keep your shoulders from rounding but make sure to sleep on the side that is not affected by thoracic syndrome.
The triggers of thoracic outlet syndrome are keeping your arms held up or lifting your arms up high, playing sports, repetitive sports injuries, straining your arms, neck and should and even pregnancy.
Thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) is a term that refers to three related syndromes involving compression of the nerves, arteries, and veins in the lower neck and upper chest area.
This compression causes pain in the arm, shoulder, and neck.
Thoracic outlet syndrome is a group of conditions where there's pressure on your blood vessels or your nerves in the are that is between your neck and shoulder.
The area between your neck and shoulder is called the thoracic outlet and compression of the blood vessels and the nerves can lead to neck pain and shoulder pain and can also cause numbness in your fingers.
Thoracic outlet syndrome can cause pain in your neck, upper chest, shoulder and arm which can feel like a dull ache, and it may worsen when you move your arms.
The most common causes of thoracic outlet syndrome are repetitive injuries such as from a sport or job or even pregnancy and car accidents.
In some cases the cause of thoracic outlet syndrome may not be known.
Treatment for thoracic outlet syndrome involves the use of physical therapy and pain relief medications.
In some cases some people may need surgery to treat the thoracic syndrome.
There are 3 types of thoracic syndrome which include.
Neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome.
This is the most common type of thoracic outlet syndrome. In this type, a group of nerves called the brachial plexus is compressed.
The nerves of the brachial plexus come from the spinal cord. The nerves control muscle movements and feeling in the shoulder, arm and hand.
Venous thoracic outlet syndrome. T
his type of thoracic outlet syndrome occurs when one or more of the veins under the collarbone are compressed and damaged. This can result in blood clots.
Arterial thoracic outlet syndrome.
This is the least common type of TOS.
It occurs when one of the arteries under the collarbone is compressed.
The compression may cause injury to the artery resulting in a bulge, known as an aneurysm, or blood clot formation.
The symptoms of thoracic syndrome include.
Numbness or tingling in the arm or fingers.
Pain or aches in the neck, shoulder, arm or hand.
Arm fatigue with activity.
A weakening grip.
Symptoms of venous thoracic outlet syndrome can include.
A change in the color of the hand or one or more fingers.
Hand or arm pain and swelling.
Symptoms of arterial thoracic outlet syndrome can include.
A pulsating lump near the collarbone.
Cold fingers, hands or arms.
Hand and arm pain.
A change in color in one or more of the fingers or the entire hand.
Weak or no pulse in the affected arm.