Laurel Clinical

13/10/2026

Is Your Neck, Shoulder or Arm Pain Really Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (TOS)? 🤔

Do you experience tingling in your fingers, a heavy or tired arm, or ongoing neck and shoulder pain?

You may have heard of Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (TOS), but did you know that several other conditions can cause very similar symptoms?

Problems involving the scalene muscles, pectoralis minor, nerves in the neck, or even the wrist and elbow can sometimes mimic TOS.

🔎 The challenge? Similar symptoms don't always mean the same diagnosis.

In our latest evidence-based blog, we explore:

✅ What TOS really is and its three main types
✅ How neck and shoulder muscles may contribute to symptoms
✅ Why conditions such as cervical radiculopathy and carpal tunnel syndrome can mimic TOS
✅ Why common TOS tests aren't always reliable on their own
✅ What current research says about diagnosis and treatment

The key message: Finding where your symptoms come from is just as important as treating them.

📖 Read our full blog to better understand TOS, the conditions that mimic it, and why a thorough assessment matters

Learn why neck and shoulder muscles can mimic TOS, how doctors diagnose it, and which treatments may help.

12/09/2026

Can an arteriovenous malformation (AVM) in the leg increase the risk of a deep vein thrombosis (DVT)?

The answer is not always straightforward.

A leg AVM changes normal blood flow by creating abnormal connections between arteries and veins. This can lead to swelling, pain, enlarged veins, warmth, and increased pressure within the venous system. A DVT, on the other hand, is a blood clot that forms inside a deep vein.

Although AVMs are high-flow vascular malformations and do not carry the same clotting risk as slow-flow venous malformations, some people with complex AVMs may also develop DVT—particularly when there is abnormal venous drainage, venous obstruction, reduced mobility, previous clots, or other risk factors.

In this article, we explain:

• how AVMs affect circulation in the leg
• the difference between an AVM and a venous malformation
• when DVT risk may become more important
• symptoms that should not be ignored
• how ultrasound, MRI and angiography can help
• treatment options for both AVMs and DVT
• when leg swelling or chest symptoms need urgent medical attention

If you or someone you know has a leg AVM, persistent swelling, unusual vascular symptoms, or a history of blood clots, this guide explains the connection in clear, easy-to-understand language.

Read the full article to learn more.
https://laurelclinical.com.au/leg-arteriovenous-malformation-avm-dvt-blood-clot-risk/

Can an arteriovenous malformation in the leg cause a DVT? Learn how leg AVMs affect blood flow, when blood clot risk may increase.

10/09/2026

A venous malformation involving the sciatic nerve is rare, but it can cause symptoms that are easily mistaken for ordinary sciatica.

Because the sciatic nerve divides into the tibial and common peroneal nerves, a venous malformation may sometimes extend along the nerve pathway toward the peroneal nerve. This can lead to pain, tingling, numbness, weakness, and in some cases foot drop.

In this article, we explain in simple language:

• what a sciatic nerve venous malformation is
• how it can involve the peroneal nerve
• the symptoms it may cause
• how MRI and nerve testing can help with diagnosis
• treatment options including monitoring, sclerotherapy, surgery, and specialist care

If you or someone you know has unexplained sciatic pain, nerve symptoms, or a diagnosed venous malformation near the sciatic nerve, this guide may help you better understand what is happening and what questions to ask your medical team.

Read the full article to learn more.

How a venous malformation can involve the sciatic nerve and extend toward the common peroneal nerve, causing leg pain, numbness and weakness.

07/09/2026

Can your joints be too flexible while your muscles feel painfully tight?

For many people with EDS or hypermobility, this strange combination is very real. Muscles may work overtime to stabilise loose joints, contributing to persistent tension, painful trigger points and myofascial pain.

In our latest article, we explain the role of fascia, why “tissue restriction” can develop, and how ultrasound-guided fascial treatment may help selected patients when it forms part of a broader rehabilitation plan.

Read the full article to understand what may be happening beneath the surface.
https://laurelclinical.com.au/eds-hypermobility-tight-muscles-fascia/

Why do muscles feel tight in EDS and hypermobility? Learn about fascia, myofascial pain, trigger points and ultrasound-guided fascial release.

30/08/2026

A proper varicose vein assessment is about much more than looking at the veins you can see.

Where is the abnormal blood flow actually coming from? Are the deeper veins working normally? And do the ultrasound findings really explain your symptoms?

A comprehensive assessment should identify the source and pathway of venous reflux or obstruction before treatment is considered.

In our latest blog, we explain the 6 key parts of a comprehensive varicose vein assessment — including why clinical examination and duplex ultrasound mapping matter.

👉 Read the full article: What Should a Comprehensive Varicose Vein Assessment Include? https://laurelclinical.com.au/varicose-vein-assessment/

23/08/2026

What if your joint pain, repeated injuries and dizziness aren't as unrelated as they seem?

Many people with joint hypermobility don't realise they're hypermobile.

They may first seek help because:

🔹 they keep spraining or injuring the same joints
🔹 pain keeps returning despite treatment
🔹 they feel dizzy, light-headed or experience a racing heart when standing
🔹 their legs feel unusually heavy or uncomfortable
🔹 they have several symptoms that have always been treated separately

None of these symptoms automatically means you have Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.

But when they occur together, particularly with a history of being unusually flexible or “double-jointed”, it may be worth looking at the bigger picture.

Our latest article explains the 3 common ways previously unrecognised hypermobility can first show up — in straightforward language.
https://laurelclinical.com.au/hypermobility-symptoms-pain-injuries-dizziness/

Persistent pain, repeated injuries, dizziness or heavy legs? Learn how these symptoms can connect with hypermobility, HSD or hEDS.

23/08/2026

Varicose veins can return after EVLA — but recurrence does not necessarily mean the original laser treatment failed.

Recurrent veins may be caused by recanalisation of the treated vein, new reflux in accessory saphenous veins, residual tributaries, incompetent perforators, progression of venous disease or, in selected cases, pelvic reflux or proximal venous obstruction.

A repeat duplex ultrasound should identify **where the reflux is coming from now**, rather than simply checking whether visible veins have returned.

Read our guide to the causes of recurrent varicose veins after EVLA and when investigation above the groin may be appropriate. https://laurelclinical.com.au/why-varicose-veins-recur-after-evla/

Why do varicose veins recur after EVLA? Learn about recanalisation, accessory veins, perforators, pelvic reflux.

23/08/2026

Not all varicose veins need treatment — and some that do may not look severe.

It is easy to assume that large, twisted veins must need treatment while smaller veins are harmless. In reality, the appearance of a vein does not always reflect what is happening underneath the skin.

Some varicose veins remain stable for years and cause few symptoms. Others may look relatively mild but be associated with:

• Aching or throbbing legs
• Heaviness after standing
• Ankle swelling
• Itching or irritation
• Skin discolouration
• Tender or inflamed veins
• Bleeding
• Slow-healing sores around the ankle

A proper vein assessment looks beyond appearance. Symptoms, medical history, swelling, skin changes and duplex ultrasound findings can all help determine whether treatment is likely to be beneficial.

The key message: varicose vein treatment should be based on how the veins are functioning and the problems they are causing — not simply how visible they are.

🔗 Read the full article:
https://laurelclinical.com.au/not-all-varicose-veins-need-treatment/

21/08/2026

**Varicose veins and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome: is there a connection?**

If you have **Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS)** and notice new, enlarged or twisted veins, it is understandable to wonder whether they are related — and whether standard varicose vein treatment is appropriate.

Varicose veins can occur in people with or without EDS. However, early-onset varicose veins can be associated with vascular Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (vEDS) and may warrant a more detailed assessment, particularly when other personal or family-history features are present.

Our latest article explores:

• Why visible veins are not always varicose veins
• The relationship between EDS, vEDS and varicose veins
• When early varicose veins may deserve further investigation
• How duplex ultrasound assesses venous reflux and blood flow
• Compression and conservative management considerations
• Why treatment needs to be individualised for people with EDS
• Special precautions when vascular EDS is confirmed or suspected

The key is not to assume that every visible vein is caused by EDS — but also not to overlook symptoms that deserve proper assessment.

🔗 Read the full article: https://laurelclinical.com.au/varicose-veins-in-eds/

How varicose veins may affect people with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, how EDS can influence treatment decisions.

21/08/2026

How are vascular compression syndromes diagnosed — and why might one scan not be enough?

Vascular compression on imaging does not always mean it is the cause of a person’s symptoms.

Our latest evidence-based guide explains how vascular compression syndromes are assessed using the clinical picture, Doppler ultrasound, CT, MRI and specialist review. It also explores conditions including Nutcracker Syndrome, May–Thurner Syndrome (iliac vein compression), Median Arcuate Ligament Syndrome (MALS) and vascular Thoracic Outlet Syndrome.

Learn why the right imaging protocol, blood-flow assessment and clinical interpretation all matter when investigating a suspected vascular compression syndrome.

🔗 Read the full article: https://laurelclinical.com.au/vascular-compression-syndromes-diagnosis/