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Meds, Mind, Body & Benefits => Questions About Treatment & Side Effects => Topic started by: cassidj on June 09, 2011, 12:47:14 am

Title: Nerve Conduction Test
Post by: cassidj on June 09, 2011, 12:47:14 am
Does anyone know how often a doctor should have a nerve conduction test performed on a patient that does not present any symptoms (he has it done each year).  I'm kind of feeling like my doctor is doing it for the money and not for my treatment.  My coinsurance alone is almost $200 plus what he gets from my insurance, seems steep for a 15 minute test conducted in office.  Any views???
Title: Re: Nerve Conduction Test
Post by: newt on June 09, 2011, 06:21:15 am
This is a specialist test usually used to distinguish genuine neurological disorders (eg loss of the nerve coating) from mechanical disorders (eg trapped nerves) in patients with symptoms. Nerve damage in HIV is related to other factors which are monitored by other tests, mainly blood tests. In people with some conditions, eg diabetes, there is value in looking at peripheral nerve function, but there are easier and prob cheaper starting points, eg pin prick test or tuning fork.

- matt
Title: Re: Nerve Conduction Test
Post by: Ann on June 09, 2011, 09:29:16 am
It sounds to me like your doctor is doing it for the money. I've never heard of anyone having nerve conduction tests done when they were not having symptoms that needed investigation. I would seriously question this doctor's ethics. It sounds like his wallet, rather than the health of his patients, is his main priority.