EMG and followup intervals

[Mark Anthony]

Dear Doctors.


Could you answer these questions please.


A bit about myself. 37 Female with Fasiculations

1.  How long after a normal EMG tests would you reccommend having them repeated if fasiculations continue

[jody]

Thanks in advance if anyone can answer.

Is One clean EMG with a good Neurological exam enough to rule out ALS if a person is experiencing fasiculations?  What if the EMG was done a few weeks prior to the twitching, would ALS still have shown on the EMG or Neuro Exam?

Thanks,

Jody

[Jim]

I like the doctor's response.  I have had two negative emg's over a three year period and still worry about ALS.  I have experienced almost every symptom including breathing and swallowing problems, severe muscle tightness, muscle cracking sounds, sever shoulder pain, etc.  Still they continue with my second negative EMG.  I don't think they are stress or psychological in nature.  Twitching all over.  Can't say muscle weakness, but loss balance sometimes and loose grip, but feel better after.  It waxes and wanes.  What else could this be???

Also, I have a funny feeling sensation throughout my body at times.

[CCF neuro MD MM]

I would not necessarily recommend repeating an EMG in this situation. If the EMG proved that these were benign fasiculations and excluded the diagnosis of ALS, which I presume is what concerns you, then there would be little point inn a repeat test.
It is very easy to let this become an overwhelming issue in your life and the stress and anxiety produced by worry about fasiculations can be much worse than the fasiculations themselves.
I would only repeat the test if new symptoms, specifically weakness develop. Otherewise you end up on a threadmill, and would then start to worry about the next EMG, and so on.
If you do have benign fasiculations then they may well continue, a repeat EMG is not really necessary.