Nerve tests and carpal tunnel syndrome
Nerve tests are sometimes used to check median nerve function when symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome are present. The nerve conduction velocity (NCV) test measures the speed of electricity as it moves through a nerve. An electromyogram (EMG) records the electrical activity of nerves and muscles, which shows nerve or muscle disorders.
If you have carpal tunnel symptoms, nerve tests may or may not be appropriate for you. Before you have nerve tests, consider the following:
- Nerve tests are not helpful in every case. A few people with carpal tunnel syndrome have normal nerve test results.1
- According to one study, nerve tests did not increase the diagnostic accuracy of the medical history and physical examination, and therefore were not necessary in most cases.2
- When work-related carpal tunnel syndrome is evaluated, nerve tests are almost always done.3
- Nerve tests are usually completed before surgery is done. Nerve tests may confirm a diagnosis and thus prevent unnecessary surgery. If there is nerve damage, surgery may be considered to prevent permanent damage.
| Author: | Douglas Dana Monica Rhodes | Last Updated: January 11, 2007 |
| Medical Review: | William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine David Pichora, MD, FRCSC - Orthopedic Surgery | |
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