What Your Neuropathy Test Results Actually Mean

Most people who come to us for neuropathy have never had it measured. They have been told they have it, and given something for the pain, but nobody has ever quantified how much nerve function they have or where they stand compared to a year ago.

Here is what our evaluation measures, and how to read the report you take home.

Six channels, scored separately

Different nerve fibers carry different kinds of sensation, and they do not fail at the same rate. That is why we score six channels in each foot rather than relying on a single test.

Cold and hot test the small fibers that carry temperature. These often decline first, which is why many people notice their feet feel cold long before they notice numbness.

Pinwheel tests sharp sensation. The ten gram monofilament is a calibrated filament pressed against the skin, and it is the standard measure of protective sensation, the sensation that tells you when something is injuring your foot.

Vibration tests the large fibers that carry position sense. These are closely tied to balance. Electrical testing assesses nerve response directly. We finish with a balance assessment, because balance is the function most patients care about and the one tied most closely to staying on your feet.

A number that means something

Individual channel scores are useful to a clinician but difficult for a patient to interpret. We convert them into a single sensory loss percentage and place it on a severity scale.

That scale is validated against the Toronto Clinical Scoring System, a measure used in published neuropathy research. It means your number is comparable to something outside this office, and comparable to your own number six months from now. Progress becomes something you can see rather than something you have to take on faith.

What the thermal image shows

Sensory testing shows what your nerves are doing. Thermal imaging shows the blood supply feeding them.

The image maps temperature across both feet. Because nerves depend on circulation, these patterns often explain why symptoms are concentrated in one area, or why one foot is further along than the other. It is information a sensory exam alone cannot give you, and it makes the treatment plan considerably more precise.

The report is yours to keep

Every neuropathy patient leaves with a written report showing the thermal images, the findings for each channel, and where the results place them. You receive it whether or not you decide to begin care with us.

We do it that way because the measurement has value on its own. Take it to your primary care physician or your endocrinologist and it is still a documented record of where your nerves stood on the day we tested them. Given that nerve damage progresses, having that baseline is worth having.

We perform the full evaluation at all three of our offices in Henderson, southwest Las Vegas, and North Las Vegas. Call to schedule yours.