Diagnosis | Nerve congestion syndromes – Overview

Diagnosis

Decisive for the diagnosis of a nerve constriction syndrome is first of all the medical history (what does the patient report?) and the clinical examination. Additional examinations are mainly those from the field of electrophysiology, for example, a measurement of the nerve conduction velocity. Here it is determined whether an externally applied electrical stimulus is conducted at “normal” speed to a remote location or whether there is a delay in conduction.

Therapy

If the symptoms are rather mild, a conservative therapy is usually recommended. If the symptoms persist or there are clear neurological deficits, for example, surgical therapy may be the method of choice. Here the goal is a decompression of the nerve. This can be done, for example, by splitting constricting structures or even by relocating the affected nerve to a less narrow area, but is specific to the respective clinical picture.

  • Painkillers,
  • Immobilization by means of a splint and
  • Physiotherapy.

All articles in this series:

  1. Nerve congestion syndromes – Overview
  2. Lodge de Guyon syndrome
  3. Diagnosis