What should I expect from my EMG tomorrow?

Question

I am scheduled for an EMG tomorrow on both of my legs. I have two herniated discs in my lower back and both of my legs are going numb. What should I expect from this test? I've heard its painful and that its not. I've also heard that there are uncomfortable sensations for days afterwards. Does anyone know what I should be expecting?

Answer 1

Electromyograph (EMG) is a test used to discover diseases of the muscles, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves by measuring how electrical current moves through them.

For an EMG, a needle electrode is inserted through the skin into the muscle. The electrical activity detected by this electrode is displayed on an oscilloscope (and may be displayed audibly through a speaker).

Because skeletal muscles are isolated and often large units, each electrode gives only an average picture of the activity of the selected muscle. Several electrodes may need to be placed at various locations to obtain an accurate study.

After placement of the electrode(s), you may be asked to contract the muscle (for example, by bending your arm). The presence, size, and shape of the wave form -- the action potential -- produced on the oscilloscope provide information about the ability of the muscle to respond when the nerves are stimulated.

Each muscle fiber that contracts will produce an action potential, and the size of the muscle fiber affects the rate (frequency) and size (amplitude) of the action potentials.

A nerve conduction velocity test is often done at the same time as an EMG.

There may be some discomfort with insertion of the electrodes (similar to an intramuscular injection). Afterward, the muscle may feel tender or bruised for a few days.

EMG is most often used when people have symptoms of weakness and examination shows impaired muscle strength. It can help to differentiate primary muscle conditions from muscle weakness caused by neurologic disorders.

EMG can be used to differentiate between true weakness and reduced use due to pain or lack of motivation.

Answer 2

If you have a good tech or a good doctor it should not be painful. It is a bit un-nerving (no pun intended). Think of it as "Acupuncture". They stick a very fine needle into certain areas and you usually do not feel it, and if you do it is not painful. . .the anticipation of pain is worse than the actual sensation.

When they do the nerve conduction portion of the test, this can be a bit of a JOLT!. This is only if they are doing this part of the EMG. They send an electrical current through certain points of the muscles and you do feel this. . .it is no fun, but again, it's mainly the anticipation that wears you out.

If you have nerve impingement, this will let them know and how bad. I hope you do well and that they can fix your problem with the least amount of effort.

But if it boils down to surgery to relieve the pressure on the nerves (due to the herniation), make sure you look into the least invasive. Do your research. I had surgery where they removed only a piece of the herniated disk and it did wonders for me. I went from really bad pain to OMG I am CURED!

I also had a fusion on a different part of my spine and that fixed the major part of my problem, but the recovery really sucked and though I am better, I have lingering affects. . .so leave the fusion as a last resort. . Good luck.

BTW, both surgeries were due to accidental injuries . . . the fusion was in the neck, the partial disk removal was in the lumbar region.

Answer 3

i have never had one but have been a nurse for 12 years and have scheduled many for patients. some say it hurts like hell, some say it didnt bother them. i guess it depends on each persons pain tolerance. they will stick tiny needles(like acupuncture needles) in your legs, then send tiny electrical singles through these needles into the muscles and in your legs. the point of the test is to tell how bad the nerve damage is in your legs due to the herniated discs in your back

Answer 4

Carpal tunnel is a tunnel at your wrist through which the nerves to your hand travel into the palm. Certain conditions make the coverings on the tunnel to swell compressing the nerve within it giving you neurological symptoms like weakness and numbness of the thumb,wasting of muscles at the base of your thumb, pain etc. If the compression is so significant as to cause damage to the nerve it will show in the EMG and you may have to undergo a small surgery to decompress the tissue that is compressing it by cutting it to lay the tunnel open and save the nerve.I am sure the treating surgeon will explain this to you in detail before the surgical procedure in embarked upon