Tinel 's sign - wikipedia Tinel 's sign Tinel 's sign Transverse section across the wrist and digits. ( The median nerve is the yellow dot near the center. The carpal tunnel is not labeled, but the circular structure surrounding the median nerve is visible. ) Classification and external resources Specialty neurology ICD - 10 G56. 0 ICD - 9 - CM 354.0 OMIM 115430 DiseasesDB 2156 MedlinePlus 000433 eMedicine orthoped / 455 pmr / 21 emerg / 83 radio / 135 MeSH D002349 ( edit on Wikidata ) Tinel 's sign is a way to detect irritated nerves. It is performed by lightly tapping ( percussing ) over the nerve to elicit a sensation of tingling or `` pins and needles '' in the distribution of the nerve. It takes its name from French neurologist Jules Tinel ( 1879 -- 1952 ). For example, in carpal tunnel syndrome where the median nerve is compressed at the wrist, Tinel 's sign is often `` positive '' causing tingling in the thumb, index, middle finger and the radial half of the fourth digit. Tinel 's sign is sometimes referred to as `` distal tingling on percussion '' or DTP. This distal sign of regeneration can be expected during different stage of somatosensory recovery. Although most frequently associated with carpal tunnel syndrome, Tinel 's sign is a generalized term, and can also be positive in tarsal tunnel syndrome, or in ulnar nerve impingement at the wrist ( Guyon 's canal syndrome ), where it affects the other ( ulnar ) half of the fourth digit and the fifth digit. See also Hoffmann 's sign Phalen maneuver References Jump up ^ Tinel, J., Nerve wounds. London : Baillère, Tindall and Cox, 1917 Jump up ^ Tinel, J. ( 1915 ) Le signe du fourmillement dans les lésions des nerfs périphériques. Presse médicale, 47, 388 -- 389 Jump up ^ Tinel, J. ( 1978 ) The `` tingling sign '' in peripheral nerve lesions ( Translated by EB Kaplan ). In : M. Spinner M ( Ed. ), Injuries to the Ma jor Branches of Peripheral Nerves of the Forearm. ( 2nd ed. ) ( pp 8 -- 13 ). Philadelphia : WD Saunders Co Jump up ^ Spicher, C. ; Kohut, G. ; Miauton, J. ( 1999 ). `` At which stage of sensory recovery can a tingling sign be expected ? A review and proposal for standardization and grading ''. Journal of Hand Therapy. 12 ( 4 ) : 298 -- 308. doi : 10.1016 / S0894 - 1130 ( 99 ) 80068 - 4. PMID 10622196. External links synd / 3740 at Who Named It ? Eponymous medical signs for nervous system CNS Head, general Battle 's sign Broca aphasia Kernig 's sign Macewen 's sign Myerson 's sign Stroop test Wada test Dix - Hallpike test Hirano body Multiple sclerosis Dawson 's fingers Lhermitte 's sign Charcot 's neurologic triad Uhthoff 's phenomenon Other Romberg 's test increased intracranial pressure Cushing 's triad Miller Fisher test PNS Reflexes of extremities / corticospinal tract Combination Jendrassik maneuver Lower limb Babinski sign Chaddock reflex Oppenheim 's sign Westphal 's sign Upper limb Hoffmann 's sign Other torso / limbs Upper limb Froment 's sign carpal tunnel syndrome Tinel sign Phalen maneuver Lower limb Abadie 's sign of tabes dorsalis Gowers ' sign Hoover 's sign Lasègue 's sign Trendelenburg 's sign Torso Beevor 's sign General Todd 's paresis Jolly 's test Orthopedic examination General Straight leg raise Lasègue 's sign Gait abnormality Trendelenburg gait Unequal leg length Range of motion Palpation Leg Hip examination Galeazzi test Allis test Barlow maneuver Ober 's test Ortolani test Patrick 's test Thomas test Trendelenburg 's sign Knee examination Apley grind test Ballottement Clarke 's test Drawer test Lachman test McMurray test Patellar tap Pivot - shift test Wilson test Valgus stress test Foot & Ankle Hubscher 's maneuver Mulder 's sign Simmonds ' test Thompson test Arm Shoulder examination Apprehension test Jobe 's test Gerber 's test Hawkins -- Kennedy test Neer impingement sign O'Brien's test Speed 's test Yergason 's test Elbow examination Cozen 's test Elbow extension test Wrist & Hand Durkan 's test Finkelstein 's test Froment 's sign Lunotriquetral shear test Phalen maneuver Tinel sign Watson 's test Spine Gaenslen 's test Schober 's test Waddell 's signs Larrey 's sign Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tinel%27s_sign&oldid=746554063 '' Categories : Neurology procedures Musculoskeletal examination Hidden categories : Infobox medical condition Talk About Wikipedia Deutsch Español Français Hrvatski Italiano Polski Português 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 28 October 2016, at 03 : 42. About Wikipedia

Question: the tinels tap test is useful to determine what
Answer: irritated nerves