Symptoms associated with electrophysiologically verified carpal tunnel syndrome in asian patients

• Published in: Journal of hand surgery, British volume Vol. 31; no. 3; pp. 326 - 330
• Main Authors: Wilder-Smith, E.P., Lirong, L., Seet, R.C.S., Lim, E.C.H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England Elsevier Ltd 01-06-2006; SAGE Publications
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Asian Continental Ancestry Group; Carpal Tunnel Syndrome - classification; Carpal Tunnel Syndrome - diagnosis; carpal tunnel syndrome, clinical, symptoms, neurophysiology, Asia; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Neural Conduction; Pain Measurement - methods; Prospective Studies; carpal tunnel syndrome, clinical, symptoms, neurophysiology, Asia; symptoms; carpal tunnel syndrome; clinical; neurophysiology; Asia
• ISSN: 0266-7681; 1532-2211
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jhsb.2005.12.017

Sensory symptoms are crucial for the diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). We have studied the spectrum of sensory symptoms in 67 cases of neurophysiologically confirmed CTS in Singapore and investigated the correlation of semi-quantitative clinical (‘Historical-Objective’) and neurophysiological (‘Bland’) scales. The range of sensory symptoms was large. The more frequent use of the terms ‘woodenness’ and ‘aching’ rather than ‘pins and needles’ suggests racial and cultural differences in symptom expression, or recognition of previously ignored descriptors. ‘Numbness’ (97%) was the most common descriptive symptom, followed by ‘tingling’ (81%), ‘tightness’ (60%), ‘aching’ (45%), ‘woodenness’ (39%) and ‘pins and needles’ (33%). Less common were ‘deadness’ (27%), prickling (24%), and cramp-like pain (18%). Uncommon sensations included ‘jabbing’ (10%), ‘shooting pain’ (10%), ‘stabbing’ (9%), ‘tight-band like pressure’ (9%), ‘cold’ (8%), ‘crushing’ (6%) and ‘burning’ (6%). The semi-quantitative clinical and neurophysiological scales correlated well (Pearson 0.645,
P<0.001).