A 46-year-old administrative assistant complains of pain in the wrist that radiates into the palm and into the fingers. The clinician can test the patient for carpal tunnel syndrome by eliciting which of the following signs?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Phalen's sign is a diagnostic test for carpal tunnel syndrome, where the patient flexes the wrists maximally and holds the backs of the hands against each other for about a minute. A positive test is indicated by tingling or numbness in the distribution of the median nerve, which is consistent with carpal tunnel syndrome.

A 46-Year-Old Administrative Assistant Complains of Pain in the Wrist