A Simple Questionnaire Might Be the Most Powerful Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Test
The flashiest diagnostic tools aren't always the most useful ones. When it comes to carpal tunnel syndrome, structured symptom questionnaires and hand diagrams produce some of the highest accuracy of any noninvasive test, with positive likelihood ratios reaching as high as 10.5. That puts a well-designed checklist on par with, or even ahead of, the physical maneuvers most people associate with a carpal tunnel evaluation. Still, no single carpal tunnel syndrome test can reliably confirm or rule out the condition on its own. The evidence points to a layered approach: start with symptoms and clinical tests, then add nerve studies or imaging when the picture isn't clear.