SPONSORED: Hand Numbness? West Park Rehab/Diagnostics Can Help Diagnose the Cause!

FRANKLIN, Pa. – “My hands keep going numb. Why?” West Park Rehab/Diagnostics can help find the answer.

Hand numbness is a common problem. Oftentimes, it means that you have a nerve problem. People sometimes complain of numbness in their hands while driving, while reading, after work, or even while they sleep. Numbness in the hands can mean that you have pressure on a nerve somewhere along its path. That path starts at the neck and ends in the fingertips.

In many cases, it is a treatable condition however you must correctly identify the source of the numbness in order to provide the right treatment. Let’s say for example you have a lamp that is not working properly due to some electrical problem. The problem might be coming from the wall socket, somewhere along the cord, or maybe even in the lamp itself. If the problem is coming from the wall socket, it would not make sense to replace the lamp because it was not the true source of the problem. Vice versa, if the problem is coming from the lamp itself then replacing the cord will not fix the problem.

The same is true for solving the problem of numbness in the hands. To provide the right treatment you must find the correct source of the problem. To begin with, a Physical Therapist can perform a number of physical tests during an examination that will give insight as to where the pinched nerve might be located. Within a few minutes, a Physical Therapist can usually see if the problem is coming from your neck, somewhere in your arm or if it may be in your hand/wrist. These are good tests – however, there is a test that can better identify the exact location of the pressure with nearly 90% accuracy.

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That test is called an EMG/NCS. This stands for electromyography and nerve conduction study. These tests are now being performed at West Park Rehab/Diagnostics in Franklin. An EMG/NCS test uses a probe to send an electrical impulse down a nerve and then measures its speed of travel. This is like a police radar gun that clocks the speed of a moving vehicle. Then another probe is used to assess what happens to that electrical impulse once it reaches a muscle. This portion of the test can show if the compressed nerve problem is new/ mild or if it is chronic/ severe. With this information, your doctor can provide much more specific recommendations for treatment.

Correctly diagnosing where the numbness in your hands is coming from is important. Knowing the severity of the problem will help in making deciding how to best treat it. A mild problem can oftentimes be easily fixed with specific stretches and physical therapy treatments. More severe problems may require a consultation with another health care specialist. But either way, knowing where the problem is truly coming from will help speed your recovery. If you have numbness, tingling, or weakness in your hands, ask your doctor if an EMG/NCS test could help you.

For more information on EMG/NCS testing at West Park Rehab/Diagnostics check the following links. www.westparkdiagnostics.com https://youtu.be/IzXZbz3riRA Or if you would like to schedule an appointment for a physical therapy evaluation click on this link. https://sites.webpt.com/1660/reactivation-offer


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