title: Clinical and electrodiagnostic abnormalities of the median nerve in dental assistants.
abstract: METHODS
  Descriptive.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the presence of clinical and electrodiagnostic abnormalities of the median and ulnar nerves in both upper extremities of dental assistants.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  A high prevalence of median neuropathies at, or distal to, the wrist have been reported in dentists and dental hygienists. But there is a paucity of literature on the incidence of abnormalities of the median or ulnar nerves in dental assistants.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-five United States Army dental assistants (24 female, 11 male; age range, 18-41 years) volunteered for the study. Subjects completed a standardized history and physical examination. Nerve conduction status of the median and ulnar nerves of both upper extremities was obtained by performing motor, sensory, and F-wave (central) nerve conduction studies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All electrophysiological variables were normal for motor, sensory, and F-wave (central) values when compared to a chart of normal values. Based on comparison studies of median and ulnar motor latencies within the same hand, 9 subjects (26%) involving 14 hands (20%) were found to have electrodiagnostic abnormalities of the median nerve at, or distal to, the wrist. The other 26 dental assistants demonstrated normal comparison studies of the median and ulnar nerves in both upper extremities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this descriptive study of 35 dental assistants, 9 subjects (26%) were found to have electrodiagnostic abnormalities of the median nerve at, or distal to, the wrist (when compared to the ulnar nerve of the same hand). Ulnar nerve electrophysiological function was within normal limits for all subjects examined.
authors.affiliation: Texas Physical Therapy Specialists, New Braunfels, TX, USA. greathoused1@yahoo.com
authors.forename: David G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Greathouse
authors.forename: Tiffany M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Root
authors.forename: Carla R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Carrillo
authors.forename: Chelsea L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Jordan
authors.forename: Bryan B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Pickens
authors.forename: Thomas G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Sutlive
authors.forename: Scott W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Shaffer
authors.forename: Josef H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Moore
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003726:Dental Assistants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020423:Median Neuropathy / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000502:physiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011930:Reaction Time; D020424:Ulnar Neuropathies / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult