Assessment of Pain During Nerve Conduction Studies in Patients With Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

PURPOSE: Patients 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. METHODS: This 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. RESULTS: The 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. CONCLUSIONS: We 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 EVIDENCE: Diagnostic Ⅳ.