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18 years
My hand bones from head of the radius bone till phalanges hurt am terrified cz I asked before about my nerves hurt and that my hands and thoracic area numbs when I go outside as in restaurants.cancer?
Aug 13, 2014
2nd opinion

Dr. Rania Mousa General Medicine
It is not a cancer ,what you describe is probably Thoracic outlet syndrome.
It is a rare condition that involves pain in the neck and shoulder, numbness and tingling of the fingers, and a weak grip. The thoracic outlet is the area between the rib cage and collar bone.

Blood vessels and nerves coming from the spine or major blood vessels of the body pass through a narrow space near your shoulder and collarbone on the way to the arms. Sometimes, there is not enough space for the nerves to pass by or through the collarbone (clavicle) and upper ribs.

Pressure (compression) on these blood vessels or nerves can cause symptoms in the arms or hands. Problems with the nerves cause almost all cases of thoracic outlet syndrome.

Pressure may happen if you have:

An extra rib, above the first one
An abnormal tight band connecting the spine to the ribs.
People with this syndrome often have injured the area in the past or overused the shoulder.

People with long necks and droopy shoulders may be more likely to develop this condition because of extra pressure on the nerves and blood vessels.
Symptoms of thoracic outlet syndrome may include:

Pain, numbness, and tingling in the pinky and ring fingers, and the inner forearm
Pain and tingling in the neck and shoulders (carrying something heavy may make the pain worse)
Signs of poor circulation in the hand or forearm (a bluish color, cold hands, or a swollen arm)
Weakness of the muscles in the hand
Check with your doctor ,your doctor will examine you and ask questions about your medical history and symptoms. When you lift something, your arm make turn pale. Sometimes the following tests are done to confirm the diagnosis:

Electromyography (EMG)
CT angiogram
MRI
Nerve conduction velocity study
X-ray
Tests are also done to rule out other problems, such as carpal tunnel syndrome or a damaged nerve due to problems in the cervical (neck) spine.
Physical therapy is often used to treat thoracic outlet syndrome. It helps:

Make your shoulder muscles stronger
Improve your range of motion in the shoulder
Promote better posture
Your doctor may prescribe pain medicine.

If there is nerve pressure on a vein, your doctor may give you a blood thinner to dissolve a blood clot. This will help reduce swelling in your arm.
You may need surgery if physical therapy and changes in activity do not improve your symptoms. The surgeon may make a cut either under your armpit or just above your collarbone.
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