Physical exam for carpal tunnel syndromeExam Overview
As part of the physical exam for
carpal tunnel symptoms, your health professional will:
- Examine your neck, arms, wrists, and hands,
comparing the strength and appearance of both sides.
- Check your
thumb for strength and movement by watching you grip or pinch an object.
- Examine other parts of your arm, to check for problems with
another nerve in your arm. If your health professional suspects neck-related
problems, he or she will also check your neck for possible nerve compression.
One or more of the following tests are commonly used to diagnose
carpal tunnel syndrome: Tinel's sign test Your health professional taps on the inside of your wrist over
the
median nerve. If you feel tingling, numbness, "pins
and needles," or a mild "electrical shock" sensation in your hand when tapped
on the wrist, you may have carpal tunnel syndrome. Phalen's sign test You rest your elbows on a flat surface such as a desk, with your
elbows bent and your forearms up. You then flex your wrists, letting your hands
hang down for about 60 seconds. If you feel tingling, numbness, or pain in the
fingers within 60 seconds, you may have carpal tunnel syndrome. Two-point discrimination test This test is used when severe carpal tunnel syndrome is
suspected. It is not very accurate for mild carpal tunnel syndrome. To do the
test, your health professional has you close your eyes and then uses small
instruments, such as the tips of two opened paper clips, to touch two points
(fairly close together) on your hand or finger. Typically, you would feel
separate touches if the two points are at least
0.5 cm(0.2 in.) apart. In
severe carpal tunnel syndrome, you may not be able to tell the difference
between the two touches, so it may feel as though only one place is being
touched.
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