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Tinel's sign
System: Neurological Signs · All neurological signs
What it is — and how it is elicited
Tapping gently over a peripheral nerve produces tingling in the area that nerve supplies; at the wrist it is used to test for carpal tunnel symptoms.
What a positive finding suggests
Associated with irritated or regenerating peripheral nerves — classically carpal tunnel syndrome when tapped at the wrist.
◈ Behind the name
Jules Tinel (1879–1952), French neurologist, who described it in soldiers with nerve injuries in 1915.
Related signs — Neurological Signs
Browse the T section of the A–Z list or return to the Clinical Signs hub.
Please note: This page is an educational reference about clinical examination signs. A clinical sign supports — and never replaces — a full clinical evaluation, examination and appropriate testing. A sign being present does not by itself prove a diagnosis, and an absent sign does not rule one out. If you have symptoms that worry you, see a health professional.