Friday, February, 10, 2012

Distal median nerve dysfunction

Table of Contents

Alternative Names

Neuropathy - distal median nerve


Symptoms
  • Pain in the wrist or hand that wakes you up at night
    • May be severe
    • Pain may be felt in other areas, for example in the upper arm (this is called referred pain)
  • Sensation changes in the thumb and pointer (index), middle, and part of the ring fingers, such as:
    • Burning feeling
    • Decreased sensation
    • Numbness
    • Tingling
  • Weakness of the hand that causes you to:
    • Drop things
    • Have difficulty grasping objects

Signs and tests

Your doctor will examine your wrist and ask questions about your medical history. The examination may show decreased sensation in the thumb side of the hand. This is called the "radial" side. There may be weakness of the thumb and difficulty using it to pinch.

Tests that reveal distal median nerve dysfunction may include:

  • Electromyogram (EMG)
  • Nerve conduction tests
  • Nerve biopsy (rarely needed)

Tests are guided by the suspected cause of the dysfunction as suggested by the patient's history, symptoms, and pattern of symptom development. They may include various blood tests, x-rays, imaging scans, or other tests and procedures.


Review Date: 08/27/2010
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; Daniel B. Hoch, PhD, MD, Assistant Professor of Neurology, Harvard Medical School, Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)