How can you diagnose nerve damage or nerve dysfunction?

A nerve conduction velocity (NCV) test is the medical procedure that helps diagnose nerve damage or nerve dysfunction. Electrical signals are passed through the nerves that determine activities of muscles.  

Purpose of NCV test

Nerves are used to send signals and experience important senses. Electrical signals sent more quickly depicts healthiness and strength of nerves.

Nerve conductivity test NYC or elsewhere is helpful in determining injury nerve and its effects on muscles. This test helps in diagnosis of nerve problem and appropriate course of treatment.

Suspicion of pinched nerve makes the importance of going for the test in order to check nerve damage.

Preparation

Before going for the test, person must have normal body temperature. As low body temperature will not provide accurate results.

People with pacemaker or cardiac defibrillator require informing doctor, so that electrodes do not affect the device.

Performance of NCV test

Electrodes that are in form of flat, patch-style these are placed over the nerve that is to be examined. Electrical impulses are passed through electrodes that stimulate the nerve (slight electric shock, not painful).

Impulses are viewed with an oscilloscope. Monitoring system attached with the electrodes shows visual image of the impulses. Rate of traveling of impulses through the nerves help depict the existence of nerve damage in a patient, if any.

Test results

Electrical impulses travelling slow than normal rate depicts damage to the myelin sheath. On the other hand, decreased response but with normal speed of impulses, damage the nerve fiber.

Following is the result of the test-

• axonopathy (damage to the nerve cell)
• conduction block (an obstacle within the nerve)
• demyelination (damage to the myelin sheath)

Causes of nerve damage

• Alcoholic neuropathy
• Diabetic neuropathy
• Nerve effects of uremia (from kidney failure)
• Traumatic injury to a nerve
• Guillain-Barré syndrome
• Diphtheria
• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Brachial plexopathy
• Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (hereditary)
• Chronic inflammatory polyneuropathy
• Mononeuritis multiplex
• Primary amyloidosis
• Radial nerve dysfunction
• Sciatic nerve dysfunction
• Common peroneal nerve dysfunction
• Distal median nerve dysfunction
• Femoral nerve dysfunction
• Friedreich's ataxia
• General paresis
• Secondary systemic amyloidosis
• Sensorimotor polyneuropathy
• Tibial nerve dysfunction
• Ulnar nerve dysfunction

From the above provided information, you must have got an idea what are the factors that lead to nerve damage problem, and ways to detect it. The test result helps in determining course of treatment, which is as follows.

Treatments for nerve damage

• Physical therapy
• Surgery
• Pain medications

However, the treatment depends on few factors like severity, extent, and type of nerve damage. Patients suffering from severe nerve damage would require going for surgery, while others can get relief through medications.