Thoracic Outlet Syndrome
Complementary Techniques
According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, a division of the National Institutes of Health, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices and products that are outside the realm of conventional medicine. Complementary medicine refers to unconventional treatments used in addition to more traditional forms of medical care. Alternative medicine is used in place of conventional medicine. Some health care practitioners and institutions combine conventional medicine with CAM techniques – a growing trend known as integrative medicine.
Since TOS can be frustrating and difficult to treat, many people with the condition try one or more CAM approaches for symptom relief. There are mixed reports about the effectiveness of most CAM techniques – some people benefit from CAM therapies, others do not.
The quality and amount of research supporting these approaches varies from therapy to therapy. And, there is no firm scientific evidence of their usefulness in treating TOS. Always do the following when considering a complementary technique: learn about it, find out if your insurance provider pays for it and talk with your health care provider before you try it.
If you decide to try a CAM technique, use caution when choosing a practitioner. It is easy to fall victim to unscrupulous or uneducated practitioners when you are desperate to find pain relief. Unfortunately, unregulated delivery of CAM health care increases the risk of a bad treatment outcome. The “cure” can sometimes be worse than the illness. Ask whether the practitioner is licensed or certified in the technique.
Complementary and alternative approaches include:
Massage and Acupuncture
Rejuvenate Yourself
Using Complementary Therapy to Relieve Pain
US National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Since TOS can be frustrating and difficult to treat, many people with the condition try one or more CAM approaches for symptom relief. There are mixed reports about the effectiveness of most CAM techniques – some people benefit from CAM therapies, others do not.
The quality and amount of research supporting these approaches varies from therapy to therapy. And, there is no firm scientific evidence of their usefulness in treating TOS. Always do the following when considering a complementary technique: learn about it, find out if your insurance provider pays for it and talk with your health care provider before you try it.
If you decide to try a CAM technique, use caution when choosing a practitioner. It is easy to fall victim to unscrupulous or uneducated practitioners when you are desperate to find pain relief. Unfortunately, unregulated delivery of CAM health care increases the risk of a bad treatment outcome. The “cure” can sometimes be worse than the illness. Ask whether the practitioner is licensed or certified in the technique.
Complementary and alternative approaches include:
- Acupuncture – Originating in China, this age-old practice involves putting long, thin needles into specific points along the body to relieve pain and discomfort. Acupuncturists believe that a healthy body contains channels through which energy flows. When these channels are blocked, energy cannot flow and bad health can occur. Needles are inserted into the blocked areas to correct imbalances and reopen the energy channels. Little quality research has been done to accurately reflect the benefit of acupuncture for treating TOS.
- Ayurveda – Ayurveda, which means the “science [or knowledge] of life,” began in India thousands of years ago. It focuses on harmony of the mind, body and spirit. Practitioners believed that if man, his health and the universe are out-of-balance, health problems occur. Ayurveda combines therapies including yoga, massage, metals, and herbs to cleanse the body and restore balance and health.
- Biofeedback – Biofeedback is a technique that teaches people to use visual or sound based feedback to control or normalize their response to pain and stress. By increasing your awareness of your body, biofeedback can help you learn to relax muscles and manage stress, which can help relieve pain.
- Chiropractic – Chiropractors aim to find, decrease and correct spinal misalignments and nervous system problems. Chiropractors try to get to the root cause of a health problem rather than just treat the symptoms. A chiropractor may help you maximize your body’s natural strengths and capacity to heal itself without the use of drugs or surgery. Chiropractic treatments include spinal manipulation, massage and stretching.
- Herbal, nutritional and hormonal supplements – A variety of herbs and dietary substances have been tried for pain and other symptom relief. There is little research about the effects of such products, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate them. Examples include magnesium, melatonin, S-Adenosylmethionine (SAM-E) and St. John’s Wort.
- Hypnosis – This involves entering an altered, intensely focused state of consciousness – either with assistance or by yourself. Suggestions given while in that state can lead to behavioral changes. For example, you may be given suggestions to help you alter your response to pain sensations.
- Homeopathic medicine – Homeopathy has been used for a wide range of health conditions. It is based on using the “law of similars” to bring about healing. This concept states that a substance that causes disease symptoms in a normal person can, when given in homeopathic dilutions to an ill person, initiate a healing response. Homeopathic “remedies” must be prepared a certain way. The dilution used depends on the symptoms being treated.
- Massage – Massage therapy can help decrease stress and relax tense muscles. It is based on the belief that waste builds up in overworked muscles, causing soreness and stiffness. Massage therapy aims to increase blood flow in body tissues and help muscles get rid of waste.
- Relaxed Breathing – Slow, steady breathing can relax tense muscles and take your mind off of everyday worries. Focusing on your breathing also can help you break a cycle of negative thoughts. Practice by taking a deep breath in through your nose, hold it, and then slowly breathe out through your mouth. This may seem silly or uncomfortable at first, but will feel more natural with practice.
- Visual imagery – Imagery uses your imagination to create calming mental pictures. This can help reduce stress and relieve pain. Typically, this involves closing your eyes and picturing something in your mind. For example, you may picture a healing energy washing over your body, or the “wires” to the pain being cut.
- Yoga – Yoga is a great way to improve flexibility and muscle tone, learn deep breathing and relaxation techniques, and decrease stress. Developed 5,000 years ago, yoga focuses on physical postures (asanas) and breathing exercises (pranayma). Begin your yoga practice in a class where an instructor can help you learn the postures and breathing. As with any exercise program, talk with your health care provider before starting yoga.
- Ask your health care provider before taking conventional medicines along with ayurvedic substances, herbal, dietary or hormonal supplements, or homeopathic remedies. Mixing medicines with other substances can be harmful. Using the label “natural” on products does not necessarily mean they are safe.
- Inform all your health care providers about the products you use. Certain substances (for example, gingko, ginseng, vitamin E) can affect bleeding at the time of surgery or spinal injections.
- Use supplements as instructed. If taken to excess, some herbal remedies (for example, ephedra) can cause cardiac irregularities and even death.
More Information
Massage and Acupuncture
Rejuvenate Yourself
Using Complementary Therapy to Relieve Pain
US National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine