EMG question

[Wildcatman]

Doctor,

I had an EMG a few months ago to put my mind at ease about some muscle twitches.  Thankfully my EMG/NCV was normal.  My neuro made a statement that I found interesting.  When he prefeormed my test he inserted the needle into my shoulder.  He said at the time, "If you have MND I will know on the first stick.  MND is a global disease and will not hide from the EMG no matter where the effected area of your body seems to be."  Is that true?  He tested my arms and neck area and said I was fine.  

Thanks for you response.

[Wildcatman]

I see what you are saying...I was scared to death because of the twitiching I was having.  He said he was doing the EMG to put my mind at ease.  The context of his comment was this, if my twitching was the result of ALS, then the EMG would show it. He said it was not a deal where I would have a global disease and it somehow would evade the EMG/NCV test.  

I guess his point was, if the facsics in my arms were of the deadly sort then the EMG would have been abnormal from the start.

He did all the test, said my CK was like 207, bt that was not a concern because it was not that far our of norm and I had just put a roof on a house a few days before and I was knid of sore.  He said my reflexes were hyper 3+, but not abnormal, that is to say, no clonus and they were symeterical.  He could not find a facsic on the EMG/NCV and said strength was normal.  His diagnosis was that I had nothing wrong and I needed to clam down and quit reading the internet so much.

Thanks

[JainMD]

Hi,
EMG findings are not pathognomonic of specific diseases and do not in themselves provide a definitive diagnosis.
Motor neuron disease including ALS would usually present with common initial symptoms is weakness, muscle wasting, stiffness and cramping, and twitching in muscles of hands and arms. Legs are less severely involved than arms, with complaints of leg stiffness, cramping, and weakness common.
I am not sure in what context he made that statement.
Keep me informed.
Bye.