Diminished Sensation in the Hand

CLINICAL DIAGNOSTIC MANUAL

Diminished sensation in the hand, also known as hypoesthesia, can be a manifestation of various conditions affecting the nerve structures responsible for the sensory innervation of the hand.

This condition can impair the ability to perform daily tasks and significantly impact the patient’s quality of life. The causes may range from peripheral nerve injuries to cervical nerve root involvement. Accurate identification of the underlying cause is crucial for appropriate treatment.

Pathology	Clinical Symptoms and Signs	Suspected Diagnosis	Confirmatory Diagnosis
Median nerve injury	Diminished sensation in the thumb, index, middle finger, and radial half of the ring finger, weakness in thumb opposition	Medical history, neurological examination, signs of carpal tunnel syndrome	EMG, nerve conduction studies
Ulnar nerve injury	Diminished sensation in the little finger and ulnar half of the ring finger, weakness in little finger abduction	Medical history, neurological examination, signs of ulnar nerve compression	EMG, nerve conduction studies
Radial nerve injury	Diminished sensation on the back of the hand, weakness in wrist and finger extension	Medical history, neurological examination, signs of radial nerve injury	EMG, nerve conduction studies
Posterior root injury of C7	Diminished sensation in the middle finger, weakness in elbow, wrist, and finger extension	Medical history, neurological examination, radicular pain in C7	Cervical MRI, nerve conduction studies
Posterior root injury of C8	Diminished sensation in the little finger and medial part of the ring finger, weakness in finger flexion	Medical history, neurological examination, radicular pain in C8	Cervical MRI, nerve conduction studies