EMG & NCV TESTS/PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY

    
      Re: EMG & NCV  TESTS/PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY
    


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Posted by ccfNeuro MD on June 11, 1997 at 12:07:25:

In Reply to: EMG & NCV  TESTS/PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY posted by Jacaranda on June 06, 1997 at 17:35:34:

: Having been a silent sufferer of PN for several years and just recently find PN websites I see many people who have said they have had these tests. I have had no testing at all but a MRI and EEG, which were normal. How is a EMG and a NCV given, what is the procedure, what does the testings show and after the results are analyzed, what will they show?
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An electromyogram (EMG) is composed of two parts, a Needle Electrode Examination (NEE) and Nerve Conduction Studies (NCS).
In a NEE, a small pin with an amplifier at the tip is inserted into various muscles.  There are no electrical shocks or injections through the pin.  The electrical activity of the muscle is picked up by the amplifier and displayed on a screen and is heard through a speaker.  By looking at the various waveforms on the screen and the different sounds of the muscle, the physician can get information on both  the muscle and the nerve that supplies the muscle being tested.  From this they can get an idea of whether there is a problem with the muscle versus the nerve and what type of problem it is. Usually, several different muscles must be tested to get a clear picture of what is going on, as well as to determine the extent of involvement.  The exam is very individualized, and each patient may have different muscles tested, depending on the nature of their problem and what the physician sees as he is doing the needle exam.  The insertion of the pin into various muscles is not pleasant but most people tolerate it well and no pain medications need to be given.
Nerve Conduction Studies look specifically at the peripheral nerves.  They are done by stimulating the nerves with tiny electrical