This article includes a summary of the several common locations of nerve entrapment and their symptoms
NERVE | SYMPTOMS | MUSCLE WEAKNESS/WASTING | AREA SENSORY LOSS |
MEDIAN (at wrist) Carpal tunnel syndrome | Pain and paraesthesia on palmer aspect hands and fingers, waking pt from sleep. Pain may extend to arm and shoulder | Abductor pollicis brevis | Lateral palm and thumb, middle and half ring finger |
ULNAR (at elbow) Cubital fossa syndrome | Parasthesia on medial border of hand , wasting and weakness of hand muscles | All small hand muscles, excluding abductor pollicis brevis | Medial palm and and little finger and half ring finger. |
RADIAL | Weakness of extension of wrist and fingers – often precipitated by sleeping in abnormal posture ie. arm over back of chair. | Wrist and finger extensors | Dorsum of thumb |
PERONEAL | Foot drop, trauma to head of fibula | Dorsiflexion and eversion of foot | Nil or dorsim of foot |
LAT CUTANEOUS NERVE OF THIGH (meralgia paraesthetica) | Tingling and dysaethesia on lat border thigh | Nil | Lat border thigh |
