It is performed by lightly tapping (percussing) over the nerve to elicit a sensation of tingling or "pins and needles" in the distribution of the nerve.

[1][2] Percussion is usually performed moving distal to proximal.

[9] Tinel's sign takes its name from French neurologist Jules Tinel (1879–1952), who wrote about it in a journal article published in October 1915.

[3][4][5] German neurologist Paul Hoffmann independently also published an article on tinel sign six months earlier, in March 1915.

[10][11] Previously, in 1909, Trotter and Davies published their findings that sensations elicited distal to the point of nerve resection are referred to the area or point of nerve resection; however they "failed to comment on the clinical relevance of their observation.