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Carpal Tunnel

Doctor Oak

Staff member
Overlord
Yeah.

I appear to be getting Carpal Tunnel in my left hand and it's really not fun.

Discuss the evil that is Carpal Tunnel here.
 

Linkachu

Hero of Pizza
Staff member
Administrator
The joys. I've done self-tests in the past to prove that I had a slight case of Carpal Tunnel syndrome but it seems to be less now.

Let's all self-diagnose ourselves! XD


Physical and Self-Assessment Tests for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

The following findings are helpful in identifying carpal tunnel syndrome:

* Less sensitivity to pain where the median nerve runs through to the fingers.
* Thumb weakness.
* Inability to tell the difference between one and two sharp points on the fingertips. (This is a late sign of carpal tunnel.)

Flick Signal. One important and simple test of carpal tunnel is the "flick" signal:

* The patient is asked, "What do you do when your symptoms are worse?"
* If the patient responds with a motion that resembles shaking a thermometer, then the physician can strongly suspect carpal tunnel.

Testing for Thumb Weakness. Two questions are useful in determining thumb weakness:

* Can the thumb rise up from the plane of the palm?
* Can the thumb stretch so that its pad rests on the pad of the little finger pad?

Hand Diagram. A diagram of the hand and wrist, usually divided into six regions, is a very useful diagnostic tool. Patients are asked to indicate where their symptoms, including pain, numbness, or tingling are by locating the affected areas on the diagram. They may also be asked to rate the severity of their symptoms. A diagnosis is probable if at least two of fingers 1, 2, or 3 have these symptoms and if there is pain in or near the wrist. CTS is possible if at least one of these fingers has symptoms. It is unlikely if there are no symptoms in these fingers, the palm, or the wrist.

Provocation Tests. Certain tests are conducted to produce symptoms:

* Tinel's Sign. In the Tinel's sign test, the physician taps over the median nerve to produce a tingling or mild shock-sensation.
* Phalen's Test. In Phalen's test, the patient rests the elbows on a table and lets the wrists dangle with fingers pointing down and the backs of the hands pressed together (like backward praying). If symptoms develop within a minute, CTS is indicated. (If the test lasts for more than a minute even patients without CTS may develop symptoms.)
* Pressure Provocation Test. The physician presses over carpal tunnel for 30 seconds to produce tingling or shock in the median nerve.
* Tourniquet Test. This test employs an inflatable cuff that applies pressure over the median nerve to produce tingling or small shocks.

Phalen's test is the easiest one. Just put the backs of your hands together, keep your wrists at a 90 degree angle, and hold it for 60 seconds. There would normally be no tingling/pain unless you held it longer than a minute ^^
 
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