Nerve test

[yellowcal]

Anyone had one?

 

What is involved?

 

Is it something that is done outside the skin or is it invasive (Do they have to stick me?)

 

Does it hurt?

 

I am having one done next week and am just curious what I should prep myself for.

[renaissancewoman101]

Is it a nerve conduction test?

 

If so, they will be sticking you with a needle (very fine) in the muscles (nerve areas) they want to test and running a small electric current through the needle and see how the nerve reacts. It isn't too painful, more uncomfortable than anything.

 

I've had it done before on my hands due to a spinal issue.

[yellowcal]

I'm not sure what its called.

 

My neurologist wanted to do it because he thinks I may have a messed up nerve in my wrist and hand resulting from a broken wrist a year ago because my hands will go completely numb for absolutely no reason at all.

[renaissancewoman101]

If he is trying to see if you have a messed up nerve in your hand, then what I posted applies. He will be testing to see if your nerves react to the current and if so, is it in the normal range.

 

I was having problems with numbness in my hands due to the vertebrae in my spine pushing in on my spinal cord.

[yellowcal]

eek! You sure it doesn't hurt? LOL

 

He thinks the problems are from my broken wrist but he said the test will give more insight depending on how bad the damage is. It could be that or it could be in my neck which we will then have to figure that out and why it's causing problems. Am hoping this will give me answers to my migraines as well.

[renaissancewoman101]

Well, it depends. When the doc inserts the needle, it doesn't go in far or anything like that, so it is like a pinch. But when he runs the current through the needle, your muscles will react to it and that could hurt a bit. It also depends how much of a current the doc runs through the needle. For one or two nerves/muscles in my hand, the doc ran a stronger current (not sure why) and that hurt a lot. When the doc is running the current, he will be seeing how your muscles react and also he will be reading a monitor that shows a EKG-like reading of the muscle/nerve reactions.

[yellowcal]

Oh okay. I think I get what they will be doing now. Thanks!

[erase this face]

The hardest part for me was to relax my muscles, which is what you have to do in order for the results to be accurate. It's not the easiest thing to do with needles sticking in your arm.

[yellowcal]

You have to relax your muscles? With needles? Yea that's easy!! LOL*rolls eyes*

[renaissancewoman101]

Yes, I forgot, you MUST relax your muscles otherwise the test results are not as accurate.

 

Personally, I hate nerve conduction tests, but I can see why they are necessary.

[yellowcal]

Can't be much worse than the pain I am feeling in my hands and neck. I guess it'd be worth it finding out what is causing the pain.

 

renaissancewoman, did they do anything to fix your problems or is it something you just have to live with?

[renaissancewoman101]

I had minor surgery to remove the cyst that was in the back of my brain to try and fix the headaches (migraines) that I get. But the main issue, with the numbness in my hands, that is the result of two of vertebrae being fused together and pressing on my spine as I get older.

 

To fix that requires surgery be done on my spine to "unfuse" the two vertebrae. The recovery would be lengthy and prognosis is iffy. I didn't do the surgery because I have a lot of issues/complications that usually come with surgery and the recovery time is long.

 

I live with the numbness and tingling that affects my hands every so often. If it gets too bad, I take pain pills, but otherwise, I live with it.

 

I've had quite a few surgical procedures done in my lifetime and with a few of them, I've had some nasty side-effects and am now reluctant to do surgery unless life or death situation

[yellowcal]

Oh yuck I don't blame you with not having the surgery. Sorry you have had such negative effects and recoveries from surgeries. Just from what you describe the surgery sounds really scary.