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Contents
  • The Sensory Examination
  • Beyond Basic Sensations
  • High-Tech Detective Tools
  • Putting the Pieces Together

Cracking the Code: How Doctors Diagnose Sensory Loss

Cracking the Code: How Doctors Diagnose Sensory Loss

The Detective Work

When you can't feel parts of your body properly, it's like a mystery for doctors to solve. This article reveals the step-by-step process they use to crack the case of sensory loss.
Contents
  • The Sensory Examination
  • Beyond Basic Sensations
  • High-Tech Detective Tools
  • Putting the Pieces Together

The Sensory Examination

The sensory exam is a doctor's primary tool for investigating sensory loss. It involves testing your ability to feel touch, temperature, pain, vibration, and your sense of body position. The doctor will compare how you feel these sensations in different parts of your body. This helps them map out where the problem might be in your nervous system.

Beyond Basic Sensations

If a brain issue is suspected, doctors might test more complex sensations. These include two-point discrimination (can you tell if one or two points are touching you?), graphesthesia (can you identify numbers drawn on your skin?), and stereognosis (can you identify objects by touch alone?). These tests help pinpoint problems in specific brain areas.
Sensory loss involves the inability to feel sensations such as touch, temperature, and pain, often requiring detailed examinations to diagnose underlying nerve or brain disorders.

High-Tech Detective Tools

When the physical exam isn't enough, doctors turn to advanced tests. Nerve conduction studies and electromyography (EMG) check how well your nerves are working. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) can reveal problems in the brain or spinal cord. Blood tests might be ordered to check for underlying conditions like diabetes or vitamin deficiencies.

Putting the Pieces Together

Diagnosing sensory loss is like solving a puzzle. Doctors combine information from your symptoms, physical exam, and test results. They look for patterns that match known conditions. Sometimes, the cause remains a mystery even after extensive testing. In these cases, doctors focus on managing symptoms and monitoring for changes.

FAQs

How long does diagnosis take?

It varies; some cases are quick, others may take weeks of testing.

Are the tests painful?

Most are painless; nerve tests may cause mild, brief discomfort.

Can I prepare for these tests?

Usually no special preparation is needed; your doctor will advise if necessary.

Will I need all these tests?

Not necessarily; your doctor will determine which are most appropriate.

What if no cause is found?

Your doctor will focus on managing symptoms and monitoring for changes.

Knowledge is Power

Understanding the diagnostic process can help you feel more in control and involved in your care.
Curious about what tests might be right for your sensory symptoms? Start a conversation with Doctronic today.
Additional References
  1. England JD, et al. Evaluation of distal symmetric polyneuropathy: the role of laboratory and genetic testing (an evidence-based review). Muscle Nerve 2009; 39:116.
  2. England JD, et al. Evaluation of distal symmetric polyneuropathy: the role of autonomic testing, nerve biopsy, and skin biopsy (an evidence-based review). Muscle Nerve 2009; 39:106.
This article has been reviewed for accuracy by one of the licensed medical doctors working for Doctronic.