Carpal Tunnel Syndrome - Diagnosis

The first step in diagnosing carpal tunnel syndrome is a simple one. The doctor asks the patient to hold his or her hand in position with the wrist bent for about a minute. The presence of the symptoms described suggests the presence of CTS. The doctor may also perform other simple tests to measure muscle strength and feeling in the hand and arm. Additional tests may be used to rule out other problems. For example, an X ray can show that a tumor is causing pressure on the median nerve.

The doctor may also order an electromyograph (pronounced e-LEK-tromy-uh-graf) of the affected area. An electromyograph measures the speed with which nerve transmissions move through the median nerve. It indicates the amount of damage that has been done to the nerve.