People who fear that they may be suffering from carpal tunnel should pay attention to the carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms, such as numbness or pain, stiffness in the fingers and aching. Also, they should get a carpal tunnel test so as to be absolutely sure; the sooner their condition is diagnosed, the faster they can receive adequate treatment and make their pain disappear.
Depending on the severity of the disease, people may experience mild, moderate or severe carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms. Amongst the mild symptoms, it is worth mentioning numbness or pain, occasional tingling, aching pain and stiffness in fingers; the moderate to severe symptoms include reduced strength and grip in the fingers, impossibility of using the thumb to perform simple tasks and even atrophy. Note that other conditions have several symptoms; hence, in order to eliminate confusions, you should take a carpal tunnel test. There are several tests that can be used for diagnosing this medical condition and each of them has its strong and weak points.
The nerve conduction carpal tunnel test is one of the most efficient modalities of diagnosing carpal tunnel; it consists in the measurement of the speed at which the electrical impulses travel through the median nerve: slow impulses indicate the presence of an obstruction in the carpal tunnel. This test can be performed by medical specialists who will follow the standard procedure and who have the necessary competence for putting a diagnosis. Amongst the weak points of this test, we should mention the fact that it is expensive and time-consuming. Other tests that can be used for diagnosing carpal tunnel are Tinel’s test and Phalen’s test.
If you are inclined to think that you may have carpal tunnel, the best thing you can do is resort to a specialist who can confirm or infirm your suspicion. A visit to a doctor’s cabinet is imperative, especially if your pain is getting worse and you are losing strength in your hands. The doctor will start by trying to understand what may cause your carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms; for instance, if you have suffered prior injuries of the hand, it is likely for them to cause your pain. Also, the doctor may recommend several tests to confirm his diagnosis, so that he can then suggest the most appropriate treatment plan.
Most of the times, medical specialists ask their patients to undergo several tests when they still have doubts with regard to the diagnosis, even after having examined them. If the doctor is not 100% sure that your symptoms are caused by carpal tunnel syndrome, he may recommend one or several tests, such as X-rays, ultrasound, nerve testing, MRI and even blood tests. For instance, the MRI can be extremely useful for seeing whether the median nerve presents swelling, whether the carpal tunnel is obstructed, etc. All in all, only medical specialists have the necessary expertise for diagnosing carpal tunnel syndrome and for recommending a course of treatment. However, you can do a little research and learn lots of useful information concerning the symptoms of this medical condition, how to alleviate pain, recommended exercises, etc.
For comprehensive information about the carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms and the carpal tunnel test, we invite you to visit our website.