Tinel

Tinel sign, also called Tinel’s sign, is a clinical sign used in neurology to detect irritated or regenerating nerves. It is named for the French neurologist Jules Tinel, who described the phenomenon in the early 20th century. The sign is elicited by tapping over a nerve; if percussion provokes tingling or electric-like paresthesias in the nerve’s distal distribution, the test is considered positive.

The sign is commonly applied at typical sites of nerve entrapment or injury. For example, tapping the median nerve at the wrist can help assess carpal tunnel syndrome, while tapping the ulnar nerve at the elbow can help assess cubital tunnel syndrome. It may also be used over other nerves following trauma or in cases of suspected peripheral neuropathies.

Interpretation and limitations: A positive Tinel sign suggests nerve irritation or regeneration but is not highly specific to a single condition. It can yield false positives or negatives and its sensitivity varies by nerve and the stage of injury. Therefore, it is usually considered alongside the patient’s history, other physical examination findings, and, when indicated, electrodiagnostic tests such as nerve conduction studies or imaging. The sign remains a simple bedside tool within a broader neurological assessment.