condfused about vascular symptoms - can they be neurogenic?
 

Ok i thought that coldness/colour changes in the hand were due to vascular compression.....

i have copy pasted a section of an article by a guy called richard sanders....

Confusion regarding the differentiation between arterial and neurogenic TOS is common because many patients with neurogenic TOS have symptoms of coldness and color changes in their hands along with their other symptoms. These symptoms do not establish a diagnosis of arterial or vascular TOS. They are the result arteriolar vasoconstriction brought on by sympathetic nerve stimulation from compression of the sympathetic nerve fibers that accompany the C7 and C8 nerve roots [2]. Thus, these symptoms are those of neurogenic TOS and not the result of arterial compression when the arm is elevated. Several studies of provocative positions in asymptomatic volunteers reveal that the incidence of arterial compression is over 50% [3–5]. Therefore, the use of tests to demonstrate arterial compression to diagnose neurogenic TOS is totally unnecessary and the results misleading. To date there is no reliable objective test with which to diagnose neurogenic TOS

Now, im not sure that i fully understand everthing in this article but it suggests nerves can be cause coldness and colour changes in the hand which is one of my biggest symptoms.....

Hi Tracey,
 

You are right. When certain nerves are compressed you can have blood flow cut off or decreased to a certain area even if your blood vessels are not constricted. Everything in our body is controlled by our nervous system. Incorrect signals can cause constriction of vessels causing cold hand...etc.

love and hugs,
Victoria:hug:

also..you need to rule out the vascular first then you will know if it is neurogenic...so doppler etc testing to see if it is a vascular problem!!

Hi Tracy.
I had vascualr TOS which was shown with doppler studies and venogram.My EMG /nerve induction studies were normal .Therefore I was a true case of vascular TOS and had rib resection .All is well with me now and am back to full time duties again.All the best for you!
Linda