Understanding Your Results
A major advantage of the NCV test is that it is considered an objective measurement of the health of a nerve, compared to subjective reports of pain or poor functioning. A nerve conduction velocity between 59 and 60 meter per second is generally considered to be in the normal range.
Your results will be examined with other information. The results of your tests will be compared against a standard, or norm, if conduction velocities. There is no single standard. Certain factors that affects your results include your age, the part if your body tested, and your sex.
A velocity outside of the norm suggests the nerve is damaged or diseased. However, it is not exactly sure what caused the damage. Different conditions that can affect a nerve include:
- Diabetes
- Trauma or injury
- Alcohol use
- Inherited disorders
- Chemotherapy [6]
- Cancer
- Thyroid Disease [7]
- Nutritional deficiency
- Kidney or liver failure
- Vasculitis [8]
- Pressure from surrounding structures
- Herniated disc
Your diagnosis will depend on other information in your medical history and your physical symptoms.
There’s no path to recovery from a damaged or diseased nerve. Treatment varies according to your specific condition, for example, and which nerve is affected.