Electromyography (EMG)
Nerve Conduction Velocity Studies(NCVS)
ELECTROMYOGRAPHY (EMG) / NERVE CONDUCTION VELOCITY STUDIES (NCVS)
What is Electromyography (EMG)?
EMG is a diagnostic procedure to access the health of muscles and the nerve cells that control them (motor neurons). Muscles move when nerve signals from the brain tell them to get to work, EMG measures how well these muscles respond to those signals. EMG help reveal nerve dysfunction, muscle dysfunction or disorders with nerve-to-muscle signal transmission. Motor neurons transmit electrical signals that cause muscles to contract. An EMG uses tiny devices called electrodes to translate these signals into graphs, sounds or numerical values.
What is Nerve Conduction Velocity Studies (NCVS)?
NCVS is a diagnostic procedure that evaluate the electrical potentials from peripheral nerves. Nerve signals are electrical impulses that travel quickly throughout the nervous system. Its helps to access the physiological status of a nerve fiber. Sometimes, problems with the electrical activity in nerves can cause pain, tingling or weakness of muscles. NCS measures how fast and how strong the electrical activity is in a nerve.
Can EMG/NCVS help in clinical diagnostic?
This diagnostic procedure helps to identify a largely benign disorder and, indirectly, exclude other possibly life threatening conditions. Also help to see how well a patient is recovering from a nerve injury.
Some of the Indications for EMG/NCVS include the following
- Evaluate tingling or numbness
- Determine neuromuscular diseases, such as muscular dystrophy or polymyositis
- Evaluate diseases affecting the connection between the nerve and the muscle, such as Myasthenia gravis
- Evaluate disorders of nerves outside the spinal cord (peripheral nerve), such as carpal tunnel syndrome or peripheral neuropathies
- Evaluate disorders that affect the motor neurons in the brain or spinal cord, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or polio
- Evaluate disorders that affects the nerve root, such as herniated disk in the spine.
Preparing a patient for EMG/NCVS
- Bathe or shower but don’t apply any lotions or moisturizers.
- Avoid caffeine and sugary beverages for at least 2 to 3 hours before the test
- Don’t smoke before the test
- Some medications like mestinon (pyridostigmine) should be discontinued
- Patient having pacemaker or any electrical medical device are contraindicated
- Patient taking blood-thin medications are contraindicated
- Patient having hemophilia are contraindicated
Reasons why you should choose us!
- Our Team is comprised of an American Board Certified Neurologist and Neurophysiologist with training and experience in EMG and NCS.
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