Reply To: The Language of Polyneuropathy

Anonymous
February 11, 2012 at 4:49 pm

Took,
I am obviously late to the discussion, but…. I wish the Docs could understand how much I have lost from MY starting point. As a Golf Professional I have hit a lot of golf shots and have (had) very strong hands / forearms. Whenever the doc asked to squeeze my hands, I said “how hard”. Not being snotty, but I could probably have broken bones in someone’s hands at one time. I have lost 50-60% of my hand strength, but I still have a grip equal to most. My loss is measurable, but to him, I still have strength….. Now, If I was hooked up to a measuring device that measured the amount of “work” done, it could be quantified.
I do understand the push against me this way and that, because they test different muscle areas each time. If it is the same exercise in one group only, the measurement may not be across the spectrum instead of one group.
I too wish those tests were less subjective, but all medicine is not objective.
By the way, I tried to describe my numbness as “It feels like I have on two pair of pants and two pair of socks. I can still feel stuff, just less of it.” He looked at me like I was crazy. Then about 10 years later I see “stocking-glove” as a diagnostic complaint… Go figure.

Dick S