nerve conductions what does it show?

[crystaly]

Out of curiosity if they do decide to do a nerve conduction at the musco skeletal clinic for suspected carpal tunnel ive developed? Just wondering whether it would show up anything else other than carpal Also do they do the nerve conduction test on your hand wrist or what ? Is a nerve conduction the one where they stick needles in and give you a shock ? chris uk one

[crystaly]

I know its soo frustrating its not real sometimes isnt it !  I honestly believe its down to doing the right tests to find out whats wrong rather than shoving you on a shelf for years to see if anything else crops up . Sounds like yove been passed from piller to post and still got no dx. I could deal with knowing what I had if they knew what it was i think because then I would sort of know whats going to happen next when your in limbo you cant do that can you ? It does wear you down after a while .
chris

[moeck]

I know exactly what you mean.  In the last ten years I have had my car rear-ended twice, seperated my right shoulder falling on the ice, and have had a few tumbles off the horses.  It is finally all catching up to me.  While trying to get things figured out I have been shuttled between a PCP blaming my thyroid, a rheumatologist blaming auto-immune arthritis, a neurosurgeon blaming degenerative disc disease, neuro #1 blaming CTS and lower facet joints.  I'd love for someone to say that I have condition XYZ and here is the pill to fix it.
moeck

[crystaly]

Hi sorry takes me that long to type i posted the same time as you ! interesting ive got aproblem with right shoulder but as i just mentioned had apartial dislocation 10 wks ago and thought they were seperate problems > Maybe there related who knows Just about know my own name lately ! Its hard to tell whats related to what anymore but im a bit worried as im reliant on a wheelchair/ crutches  to get round and my hands playing up is a nightmare for me as I rely on them obviousely to propel my wheelchair ride mobility scoioter ets. chris

[crystaly]

Hi thanks your lucky your neuro was so thorough ! Unllucky for me mines hopeless ! If the ncs comes up negative where I am you get shoved on a shelf !!  Thats what I wanted to know so appreciate it whether it would show up a cervical problem just in case it was that . Too be honest I have that many falls due to mobility problems and never go to drs if I have because Id be there every day of the week . Possible ive injured something i suppose eg Partially dislocated shoulder about 10 wks ago fell out the front door lol got to laugh or I,d cry !so could be related I suppose!  Take care and thanks chris

[moeck]

A little lesson about carpal tunnel.  The nerve that gets "caught" in the medial area of your wrist/hand orginates in the neck.  CTS is actually a "double crush" problem.  This means that symptoms in the hand can be felt due to problems in the neck, such as whiplash, as well as problems in the wrist.  Conversly, a "pinching" of the nerve in the wrist may result in shoulder and neck pain.  I had both the electrode patches and the needles done for both wrists and my right leg (my weak one).  When they put the electric current to the patches it tingled.  When they put the needles in place, the needles themselves did not hurt, when they put electricity to the needles I almost screamed.  My tests did show positive for CTS in both wrists PLUS my right neck area.
moeck

[Heather3418]

Chris,

I have had EMG and NCS done three times.  I "had" carpal tunnel syndrome.  They did stick the small wires into my wrist, arm AND the back of my neck.  Did it hurt?  Yeah, I have to admit it...it hurt.  Believe it or not, that test showed there was nothing wrong with either of my hands, just some problems in my cervical area, probably due to a whiplash injury many years ago.

A Neurologist did my tests.  I was going to an Orthopedist for many years due to my whiplash injury, due to a car accident.  He read the negative results of my EMG and NCS and said, he was going to operate anyway.  He knew me so well, that if Heather complained about numbness and tingling in my little finger, my ring finger and one side if my middle finger; that he believed that I did, indeed, have Carpal Tunnel Sundrome.  When he operated he said that the tunnel (were the nerve goes through) was so tight and full of scar tissue that I did indeed had very bad, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.  This despite the normal EMG's and NCS.  Go figure?

One of the tests the Ortho did was to bend my hand, back against my wrist...it caused immediate numbness and tingling.  He said this told him positively, that I had CTS.

The point of my post, is that in some people, you can have normal nerve conduction studies and still have CTS.  I've heard this happening in many cases.  By the way, if you have the corrective surgery, I need to tell you that it was a god-send for me.  Instant pain relief.  And a very easy surgery....

Good luck, Heather

[crystaly]

Hi I thought it might be another add on symptom as i call them gp thinks its carpal tunnel ive gone from having pain tingling in pinky ring finger to pain in wrist up arm right side . Had no hand weakness when I saw my gp which was couple days ago to not being able to grip anything now and severe hand weakness in right side have to wait and see what the clinic says . Still waiting for an appoinment at moment
Maggie hi i had the needle one several years ago in my muscle in leg and yuk! didnt like it much myself either ! can they tell if you have cervical herniation from your wrist or do they do the test elsewhere arm? Thanks chris

[LLWB]

Wow, I'm glad that Heartshome didn't think the test with needles hurt. But it sure did when they did on me!  I had both EMG, the sticky electrode and electricity done, that hurt too, and the needles. That one REALLY hurt me. They were testing for cervical disc herniations and numbness in my arms, hands etc. Neuro found loss of sensation in fingers, carpal tunnel in both hands, and 16 or the 18 trigger points of fibro flared. I guess everyones experiences with pain threshold are different. Maybe the fibro made me more sensitive to the pain. But it's nothing that is lasting. So the neuro did mention everything he observed, not just the disc problems they were primarily testing for. That was a positive..Good luck..Maggie

[magoo58]

My wife had a nerve conduction test performed on her.  It was actually the first test that was done with her, and it was the kind with electrodes put on her wrist.  Her GP suspected carpel tunnel or a pinched nerve at the onset of her symptoms.


For reference sake, the test result came back normal.  She was diagnosed with MS with in a month from that.

Good luck to you.

[crystaly]

Hi thanks always nice for someone to make comments like that I did have the needle one 3 ) yrs ago on one leg . Hmm didnt like it much got to admit > i was just wondering if it shows other problems up really  chris uk

[Heartshome]

BTW, I had the test with the needles and it does NOT hurt. Just in case anyone was worried about this. I know that I fretted about it for days. Don't worry, it isn't at all scary or painful!

[crystaly]

Thanks what does that show up speed of nerve impulse or something else ?
chris uk

[smcneel]

To answer only one of your questions, I had a nerve conduction study done on my hand and wrist, and left calf and it is the one where they put sticky electrodes on your skin and use a small electrical current to test your responses, NOT the one that uses the needles, thank goodness!  Sorry, I don't know about the CTS question.