Radial Neuropathy (Saturday-night palsy)
A weak, drooping wrist after the arm has been compressed — what radial neuropathy is, why it happens, and how nerve testing pinpoints exactly where the nerve is affected.
Radial neuropathy is loss of function in the radial nerve — the nerve that lifts the wrist and straightens the fingers.
When the nerve is squeezed or stretched, the muscles it supplies stop firing properly and the wrist drops. The classic form, sometimes called Saturday-night palsy, follows prolonged pressure on the upper arm — for example falling asleep with the arm draped over a chair or a partner's shoulder. The reassuring part is that when the cause is simple compression, the nerve very often recovers; the job of testing is to confirm it really is the radial nerve, show where it is pinched and how badly, and give a realistic idea of how it should recover.
Symptoms of radial neuropathy (saturday-night palsy).
Symptoms usually appear on one side and tend to be noticed suddenly — often on waking after the arm has been compressed.
Why it happens.
The radial nerve runs a long, exposed course around the upper arm, which leaves it vulnerable to pressure and stretch. Several situations make injury more likely.
Don't wait for it to settle.
Early assessment helps you get the right treatment sooner. See a specialist if:
Pinpointed with nerve conduction studies and EMG.
Radial neuropathy is confirmed and localised with nerve conduction studies (NCS) and electromyography (EMG) — the key tests for this problem. At Bridge House Clinic these are carried out and interpreted by Dr Arvin Rodrigues, Consultant Clinical Neurophysiologist. NCS pass small electrical pulses along the radial nerve to measure how well it is conducting and to help show where the nerve is affected, while EMG uses a fine needle to read the electrical activity in the wrist and finger muscles, showing how much the nerve injury has affected them and giving an objective picture of recovery. The upper-limb NCS/EMG study is £450. Where an underlying structural cause such as a fracture needs imaging, an MRI or X-ray is arranged separately, as imaging is not performed on site.
How radial neuropathy (saturday-night palsy) is treated.
Our role here is precise diagnosis — the test results then point clearly to what should happen next.
A focused appointment with Dr Arvin Rodrigues to review your symptoms, examine the arm and plan the right nerve study — so the testing answers your specific question.
The key upper-limb test to confirm radial neuropathy, locate where the nerve is affected and measure how severe the injury is — performed and reported by the consultant at the same visit.
The findings make the way forward clear — from reassurance and a recovery timeline when it is simple compression, to a written report and onward referral where surgery, hand therapy or further imaging is needed.
Seen in days — not months on a list.
A named specialist, not a junior — all the way through.
Every price published and confirmed in writing.
Seen privately, without the wait.
We bill major UK insurers directly.
Will my wrist drop get better? +
Often, yes. When the cause is simple pressure on the nerve, as in Saturday-night palsy, the radial nerve commonly recovers over weeks to a few months. Nerve testing helps gauge how much the nerve has been affected and gives a realistic idea of how your recovery should progress.
Do the nerve tests hurt? +
They are well tolerated. The nerve conduction part feels like brief, small electric pulses, and the EMG involves a fine needle in a few muscles, which feels like a quick ache. Most people find it far more manageable than they expect, and Dr Rodrigues explains each step as it happens.
Do I need a referral, and how much is the test? +
No referral is needed — you can book directly with us. The upper-limb nerve conduction study and EMG is £450, carried out and reported by the consultant at the same appointment. A neurophysiology consultation, if you prefer to be assessed first, is from £450.
Does Bridge House Clinic treat radial neuropathy or do scans? +
Our role is expert diagnosis through nerve conduction studies and EMG, not surgery. Scans such as MRI or X-ray are not done on site but are arranged where they are needed. Once the cause is clear, your results guide the next step, including onward referral for treatment if that is required.
Don't put up with it.
Book an assessment with a consultant and get a clear picture — and a plan.