Electrical skin resistance and thermal findings in patients with lumbar disc herniation.

The purpose of this study is to analyze two methods, skin temperature and electrical skin resistance, to evaluate the sympathetic dysfunction in patients with lumbar disc herniation, aiming to determine their accuracy and clinical correlation. Fifteen voluntary patients with lumbar disc herniation were included in this study. Affected dermatome was determined, and skin temperature and electrical skin resistance were recorded from this dermatome and the symmetric healthy dermatome. Results were documented and statistically analyzed. The mean skin temperature of the affected and symmetric healthy dermatome was found to be 32.13 degrees C (+/-1.93) and 32.68 degrees C (+/-1.67), respectively. The difference was found not to be significant (P > 0.05). However, the mean electrical skin resistance recorded from the affected and the symmetric healthy dermatome was found to be 163.39 (+/-8) and 147.05 (+/-9) kOmega, respectively. The difference between these values was found to be statistically significant (P < 0.05). Electrical skin resistance is more sensitive and early in detecting sympathetic dysfunction in patients with lumbar disc herniation than skin temperature. Also, this test is cheap, easy for both the patient and the physician to be performed, and helpful in the follow-up of patients with lumbar disc herniation, after physical therapy and/or surgery.