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Mt Sinai, NY
A 29-year-old male asked:

How do you figure out if tingling in my left hand is coming from the ulnar/median nerve, neck, or thoracic spine? how do you figure out what nerve?

2 doctor answers3 doctors weighed in
Dr. Cornelius Oleary
A Verified Doctoranswered
Urgent Care 21 years experience
See MD promptly: You need a full exam in the clinic by a physician to figure this out. Tingling in the extremity can be caused by systemic diseases such as diabetes and several other causes. This is why your physician will take a careful history. When tingling is unilateral and fits into the sensory distribution of a peripheral nerve, a physician considers dermatomes to determine which nerve to study. See MD ASAP.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
Dr. Edward Hellman
Orthopedic Surgery 31 years experience
Exam, studies: Each nerve has a specific distribution and so a detailed physical exam goes a long way in determining the likely diagnosis. We then will often use a test called a nerve conduction test which then tests each specific nerve and this can tell specifically which nerve is affected and where as well.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
Last updated Feb 25, 2016

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