Original Investigation

The Effects of Vitamin B and Tendon-Nerve Stretching Exercises on Clinical and Electrophysiological Parameters in the Treatment of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

10.5152/imj.2014.08870

  • Mualla Biçer
  • Murat Çabalar
  • Öznur Ecerkale

Received Date: 21.02.2013 Accepted Date: 21.09.2013 İstanbul Med J 2014;15(1):16-20

Objective:

In our electrophysiology laboratory, in the cases diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), the effects of vitamin B and the tendon and nerve stretching exercises (TNSE) on clinical and electrophysiological parameters were analyzed.

Methods:

In our electrophysiology laboratory, in the cases which were diagnosed with CTS and vitamin B-splint (Group 1) with TNSE-splint treatment (Group 2) was practiced the efficiency of the treatment was evaluated statistically with the functional situation scale (FSS) at the end of three months period, the symptom severity scale (SSS), the visual analog scale (VAS) and electromyography EMG.

Results:

Of the 45 cases between the ages of 29-66 years (average: 47.86±9.74), 32 were diagnosed with bilateral, and 13 were diagnosed with unilateral CTS (n=77 hand). In the EMG 52 sensory (S), 25 sensory and motor (S+M) effectswere determined. In Group 1, there were 23 S, 13 S+M, in Group 2 there were 29 S, 12 S+M effects. After the treatment 11 cases were electrophysiologically normal, there was S in 41, and S+M in 25. Between Group 1 and Group 2, before and after the treatment, a meaningful relationship was not t observed. However, when the effects of EMG on the values of the FSS, SSS and VAS were analyzed, a meaningful improvement was observed in the measurements of FSS and VAS (p<0.05) whereas this was not observed in the measurements of SSS (p>0.05).

Conclusion:

When the efficiency of vitamin B and the stretching exercises which were used in the carpal tunnel syndrome were analyzed, a decrease in the complaints of the cases and in VAS, FSS and SSS as indicators of the clinical evaluations of it was meaningful whereas in the EMG, although an improvement was seen, this was not statistically meaningful. This treatment method can be used especially in CTS treatment where sensory symptoms are at the forefront.

Keywords: Carpal tunnel syndrome, the visual analog scale, the symptom severity scale, vitamin B, the tendon-nerve stretching exercises