Re: type 2 test?diagnosing?

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 12/29/01 6:43:00 PM, butterflypower@... writes:

<< One question for CMT2 is: If there is no actual, definitive test...How do

they know it exists and it's not another disease? >>

It may help to read how to diagnose CMT here:

http://www.geocities.com/dgosling_rn/diagnosis.html

This is part of what it says:

When you visit your General Practitioner (PCP) with your medical complaints

related to CMT, usually, you will be referred to a Neurologist(nerve doctor).

The common complaints are numbness, pins & needles (in a stocking and glove

pattern), frequent tripping, ankle sprains, and loss of balance.

The Neurologist will do a complete medical history paying particular

attention to your family history, if it is available. Family members who have

similar symptoms to yours may be asked to come in to see the Neurologist as

well.

Then, you will be examined : the Neurologist will observe: how you walk ,

whether you have high arches and other foot or hand deformities, whether your

hands and/or legs are thin compared to the rest of your body .

In CMT Type I : the ankle, knee, wrist, elbow reflexes are often absent.; in

CMT type II the reflexes are sometimes slow, but usually not absent .

You will have your toes and fingers moved up and down by the doctor, while

your eyes are closed, to find out if you know which direction they are being

moved This tests for your ability to know where your body parts are, without

looking at them. (Proprioception)

Another test of your sense of where your body is in space, is standing with

your feet right together and eyes closed, if you automatically sway or fall

more than you do with your eyes open, then Romberg’s sign is positive, which

means you have difficulty knowing where parts of your body are and that you

are having problems with balance.

Once the physical examination is complete, the doctor often will ask you to

have an EMG(electromyography)done . There are two parts to this test:

The first part tests your different nerves for their ability to carry

messages to the muscles,and the speed (NCV-nerve conduction velocity) at

which the messages are carried . This test uses pads (electrodes) (like a

heart ECG) , attached at specific points along the muscle, a very small

electric shock is applied to measure the speed at which the shock travels to

the muscle, causing the muscle to contract. This test is done on both motor

nerves (MNCV)and sensory nerves (SNCV) In CMT Type I nerve conduction speed

is slowed. In CMT Type II the nerve conduction speed is often normal or only

mildly slowed. If you have a muscle disease, the nerve conduction speed

remains normal.

====================