CMAT, the CardioMetabolic Assessment Test, groups several fast, painless Measura measurements into one appointment at the Padda Institute in St. Louis. It reads blood flow, small-nerve function, heart rhythm and body makeup to uncover hidden problems that hold back healing and feed pain.
Your physician orders this test when the answer will change your care. Ordered tests are tracked at each visit of our physician-directed physiotherapy program until they are complete.
What is CMAT?
CMAT bundles several Measura measurements into one appointment: blood flow, the small nerves, heart rhythm and body makeup.
How does it help with pain?
Some pain will not settle because of what is going on in the rest of the body: weak circulation in the legs, injury to the tiny nerves that run sweating, or a nervous system locked in fight-or-flight. CMAT looks for those hidden drivers so they can be treated along with the pain.
What will you feel?
Cuffs squeeze your arms and ankles, small sensors clip to your fingers, and you rest your palms and soles on metal plates. No needles are used.
How do you get ready?
Wear clothing that lets us reach your arms and ankles. Skip caffeine and nicotine for a few hours beforehand.
What should you tell us first?
- Let us know ahead of time if you are pregnant or have a pacemaker
How long does it take?
Thirty to forty-five minutes.
What to remember
- Painless: nothing goes through the skin.
- Skip coffee and nicotine for a few hours beforehand.
- It hunts for hidden reasons pain is not healing.
Show us you have it: Name what you will avoid in the hours before your test. If any part is unclear, ask, and we will walk through it again at your next visit.
Related reading: metabolic inflammation and chronic pain, why diabetic nerve pain burns at night.