How is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome diagnosed?

CTS diagnosis is taken by a physician after taking a careful history, performing a thorough physical examination, and running a series of laboratory tests. Physicians will listen to patient's complaints and ask questions about what the mechanism of injury was, when their pain or discomfort occurs, and which positions and activities make symptoms better or worse. The physical examination will include testing range of motion and strength including grip and pinch, and certain special tests such as Phalen's and Tinel's signs. The Phalen's test is when the physician asks the patient to maximally flex their wrist and hold the position for anywhere from 30 seconds to several minutes resulting in numbness through the median nerve distribution if the test is positive. Tinel's sign is simply tapping the wrist in the area of the median nerve as it passes through the carpal tunnel resulting in tingling through the palm to the finger tips is the test is positive. In addition to these tests and others, a physician may run tests such as a nerve conduction velocity test that checks for the speed of electricity along the nerve. For patients with these signs and symptoms and in fact diagnosed with CTS, early intervention and treatment is very important and may result in less permanent nerve damage and disability.



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