on-line test

The options in that question are the commonest ones given by patients, with the 'none' option to cover odd things like the person who says it affectes the index finger and the little finger but not any of the others. In fact the 'classic' distribution for CTS is the thumb, index, middle and just the adjacent side of the ring finger - so that the ring finger is less affetced than the thumb, index and middle, but only a few patients seem to notice this anatomical peculiarity. Another way of getting essentially the same bit of information is to ask whether symptoms ever affect the little finger and perhaps the most technically correct way of documenting the symptom distribution is with a Katz hand diagram - but that is not very adaptable to online use - so no way of phrasing this question is completely ideal. The questionnaire is the way it is now because all our methematical models were developed using this question phrased the way it is here so if I change it it will invalidate the underlying math.

In your case I would answer this for the pins and needles - ie the thumb, index, middle finger option. Pain in CTS often spreads into strange 'non-snatomical' places. The stiffness and flexed fingers sounds a bit like trigger digit which is often associated with CTS.

I've just changed that answer for you - as the system does not allow you to go back and change things once you have finished it - ant that way it leasves you with a diagnostic score of 13% so a fairly small chance of CTS, but you do have a few fairly characteristic symptoms so I would still be inclined to get it checked out just in case. I think the main thing pulling down the score is not the symptom distribution question but the fact that you do not really have any risk factors for getting CTS. JB

Thanks for clearing that up and also for correcting my data.
I do have one more query which I am not sure came up indirectly in the questions or I incorrectly ignored and that is, I do yoga. Does this fact contribute to my lack of risk factors and have you found any correlation with yoga practitioners, particularly as some postures put a high loading on the wrists?
Thanks
PH

There is one preliminary report of benefit from yoga in CTS but it's never been followed up. It's not featured in our questionnaire at all because so few people have tried it or practice it.  I'll move this thread to the CTS forum in a day or two as it really belongs there rather than in this one. JB

Thanks - just for your info - had x-ray of hands today & getting nerve speed test on 12th Nov. My doctor is working by a process of elimination. The other issue that I have not mentioned is that in 2007 I had similar symptoms in my hands after doing some body boarding. This was a repeat of the previous year and I concluded it was from the extreme arching of the back. As a result I did have an upper back MRI showing 'a narrowing of the canal at all these levels but most significant at the c4/c5 level where there is some evidence of cord compression' & 'There is neural foraminal stenosis involving the c4,c5 and c6 roots bilaterally. The worst affected appears to be the left c5 root foramen'.

My current doctor does not seem to have these notes so I will be dropping off copies to him this week.

PH

Almost everyone shows some signs of wear and tear on MRI of the neck but those comments on your report sound as though there may be enough of an abnormality for it to be a possible contributor to your symptoms. The yield of useful findings from plain hand x-rays is pretty small unless one suspects a forrm of arthritis. Good luck with getting it sorted out - and I would be interested to know if your forthcoming NCS do show any evidence of CTS. JB

Good news - had a cancelled appointment this fri. for nerve test so should have results in about 7 days. I will let you know the results.
Thanks
Paul

Thanks - it's always interesting to see how stories reported on here turn out. JB