Abstract
PurposePatients with suspected carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) often undergo nerve conduction studies (NCSs). Although patients sometimes complain of NCS-related discomfort, including severe pain, pain evaluations during such NCSs are lacking. We aimed to measure the pain experienced by patients with CTS during NCSs.MethodsThis prospective study included 30 patients with CTS who underwent NCSs between April 2018 and March 2019. Pain because of electrical stimulation during NCSs was evaluated using a visual analog scale, and we statistically analyzed pain-related factors such as age, sex, complications, severity grading scale, the intensity of maximum stimulation, and examination time.ResultsThe mean visual analog scale score for NCSs was 5.2, and the visual analog scale score increased as the intensity of maximum stimulation and examination time increased.ConclusionsWe measured the pain because of electrical stimulation experienced by patients with CTS during NCSs. Our findings indicate that medical staff must be mindful of the potential pain experienced by patients during NCSs and educate patients regarding the necessity of the examination and its procedures.Type of study/level of evidenceDiagnostic Ⅳ.
Highlights
Patients with suspected carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) often undergo nerve conduction studies (NCSs)
We measured the pain because of electrical stimulation experienced by patients with CTS during NCSs
Analysis of factors related to the visual analog scale (VAS) score for pain experienced during NCSs showed no significant differences in the VAS score for age (Fig. 1A), sex (Fig. 1B), diabetes mellitus (Fig. 1C), or severity based on the grading scale (P 1⁄4 .272) (Table 2)
Summary
Patients with suspected carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) often undergo nerve conduction studies (NCSs). Pain because of electrical stimulation during NCSs was evaluated using a visual analog scale, and we statistically analyzed pain-related factors such as age, sex, complications, severity grading scale, the intensity of maximum stimulation, and examination time. When performing NCS, we should inform the patients of the details of the test, but there are insufficient data on discomfort, such as pain, during NCSs. In this study, we hypothesized that the intensity of electrical stimulation, examination time, and patient background would affect pain caused by NCS. We aimed to measure the pain experienced by patients with CTS during NCSs and statistically analyze factors related to the pain that should be recognized by the medical staff
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
