What causes tingling, numbness or weakness in your arm or hand?
One possible cause is thoracic outlet syndrome, a condition that happens when nerves or blood vessels are compressed, usually between your collarbone and first rib. Symptoms like pins and needles, arm pain, or changes in colour or temperature can all point to this underdiagnosed condition. In many cases, a vascular ultrasound scan of your arm arteries may help your doctor investigate further.
Thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) occurs when there’s pressure on the nerves, veins, or arteries usually in the space between your collarbone and first rib, known as the thoracic outlet. This can lead to symptoms in the neck, shoulder, arm, or hand.
There are three types of TOS:
Each type has different symptoms and may require different tests to diagnose, including vascular ultrasound to assess blood flow in the arm.
TOS can cause a range of symptoms that may appear slowly or suddenly.
These often include:
Because these symptoms can overlap with other conditions (like carpal tunnel, cervical spine issues, or general poor posture), imaging can help clarify what’s really going on.
Diagnosis often begins with a physical exam by your GP or specialist. They may perform certain arm or shoulder movements to reproduce your symptoms, which can suggest TOS. But to confirm the diagnosis and determine which type of TOS is present, further testing is often needed.
One of the most effective non-invasive tools for this is vascular ultrasound, particularly of the arm arteries. This type of scan can:
Capri Ultrasound offers vascular imaging tailored for TOS assessment, using dynamic scanning techniques to capture compression during arm movement.
A shoulder or arm artery ultrasound may be recommended if you’re experiencing:
These could also suggest arterial thoracic outlet syndrome, which is less common but more serious and requires imaging.
Yes, at Capri Ultrasound, bulk billed ultrasounds are available for eligible patients under medicare when referred by:
Capri Ultrasound is one of the few clinics that offers bulk billing for Medicare-eligible vascular scans because we believe your health shouldn’t come at high costs. If you’re unsure whether your referral qualifies, our team is happy to review it before your appointment.
📍 If you’re now googling ‘Bulk Bill ultrasound’ or ‘ultrasound Gold Coast’ you’re in luck. Capri Ultrasound is an expert in vascular imaging clinic located in the centre of the Gold Coast on isle of Capri.
Once a diagnosis is made, treatment will depend on the type and severity of TOS. For many people, non-surgical options like physiotherapy, posture training, and exercise can help relieve symptoms, especially for neurogenic TOS.
If you’re interested in exploring gentle stretches and posture exercises that may help, this guide from Healthline offers a helpful overview.
In more severe cases, especially involving vascular TOS, surgical intervention may be considered, but imaging is always the first step.
If you’re experiencing unexplained arm pain, tingling, or cold hands, don’t wait. It could be thoracic outlet syndrome, and early diagnosis makes a big difference.
Capri Ultrasound offers high-quality, non-invasive imaging to help identify what’s behind your symptoms. We’ll check your referral, confirm Medicare eligibility, and support your GP or specialist with fast, accurate results.
👉 Send us your referral or contact us today to book your scan!
