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Disability Code For Carpal Tunnel?

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That is funny........because I had the "positive Tinel's" test, positive EMG for bi latterial CTS and was awarded S.C. but ZERO Percent! with it being told it affects my work and home life but next time I will bring my digital recorder with me for the Exam.

This is extracted from Chap 61 Common Hand Disorders,of the Merck Manual, under Section 5, Musculoskeletal & Connective Tissue Disorders.

CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME

Compression of the median nerve as it passes through the carpal tunnel in the wrist.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is very common and most commonly occurs in women aged 30 to 50 yr. Causes include RA (sometimes the presenting manifestation), diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism, acromegaly, amyloidosis, and pregnancy (producing edema in the carpal tunnel). Activities or jobs that require repetitive flexion and extension of the wrist (eg, keyboard use) may pose an occupational risk. Often, no underlying cause is found.

Symptoms and Diagnosis

Symptoms include pain of the hand and wrist associated with tingling and numbness, classically distributed along the median nerve (the palmar side of the thumb, the index and middle fingers, and the radial half of the ring finger) but possibly involving the entire hand. Typically, the patient wakes at night with burning or aching pain and with numbness and tingling and shakes the hand to obtain relief and restore sensation.

Diagnosis is indicated by a positive Tinel's sign, in which the tingling (paresthesia) is reproduced by tapping with a reflex hammer at the volar surface of the wrist over the site of the median nerve and carpal tunnel. Additional tests include wrist flexion maneuvers (eg, Phalen's sign). Thenar atrophy and weakness on thumb elevation may develop late. Diagnosis is confirmed by electrodiagnostic testing of median nerve conduction velocity, which provides an accurate index of motor and sensory nerve conduction.

Treatment

Treatment includes a lightweight wrist splint, especially at night; possibly pyridoxine (vitamin B6) 50 mg bid; and mild analgesics (eg, acetaminophen, NSAIDs). Some persons find relief by changing the position of computer keyboards and making other ergonomic corrections. If these measures fail to control symptoms, a corticosteroid should be locally injected into the carpal tunnel at a site just ulnar to the palmaris longus tendon and proximal to the distal crease at the wrist. If bothersome symptoms persist or recur or if hand weakness and thenar wasting progress, surgical decompression of the carpal tunnel using an open technique or endoscopy is recommended.

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I have Carpal Tunnel of both wrist. I have a claim in for Agent Orange (which I am waiting for results). I am also service connected for eyes and lungs. Can Carpal Tunnel be connected in any way to these? I had no problems while I was in the military.

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If you are incountry Vietnam vet or certain Army vets in Korea (list under search here)

and have an AO presumptive disease-

that is a very valid and probative claim-

I see no connection of the carpal tunnel to the other conditions but I am no doctor-

this will take a strong medical opinion with a complete medical rationale that your service by MOS etc, or your SC conditions, have a relationship as to causing the carpel tunnel syndrome.

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  • HadIt.com Elder
Does anyon know if there is a code for pain from the shoulder to elbow to wrist. The doc said I have nerve & muscle damage. But he didn't do a nerve conduction test???

David, People who have had surgury at c5/c6 can also have CTS. It can be diagnosed higher in the Nerve at the C spine. Mine is from my neck. Unfortunatly there is no treatment except meds for this area of CTS. I believe it is called nerve root inpingement instead of Cts but its effects are the same. The nerves that inervate the shoulder muscles are located below C5. It depends on the muscle that is effected.

John

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  • HadIt.com Elder
That is funny........because I had the "positive Tinel's" test, positive EMG for bi latterial CTS and was awarded S.C. but ZERO Percent! with it being told it affects my work and home life but next time I will bring my digital recorder with me for the Exam.

You have to show them pain and weakness iand loss of motion in the nerve distribution.

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