Electrodiagnostic medicine is the study of diseases of nerves and muscles. Your physician has recommended an EMG test to see if your muscles and nerves are working correctly. You can have problems in only one part of your body or throughout your body. The results of the tests will help your physician determine what is wrong and how it can be treated.

Who does the testing?  The American Association of Neuromuscular & Electrodiagnostic Medicine’s policy states an appropriately trained physician should do all needle EMG testing. A trained assistant or technologist under a physician’s supervision can do nerve conduction studies.

What type of medical training do physicians who perform EMGs have?  Physicians who perform EMGs go to 4 years of medical school then 3 or 4 more years of training in a residency program. Most work as neurologists or physical medicine and rehabilitation physicians. Medical training helps the physician decide which tests to perform based on your symptoms. It teaches physicians what can go wrong with the human body and how to tell the difference between these problems.

Why is an EMG being recommended as a part of my treatment plan?  You are being sent for an electromyography (EMG) because you have numbness, tingling, pain, weakness, or muscle cramping. Some of the tests that the EMG physician may use to diagnose your symptoms are nerve conductive studies (NCVs) and needle EMG.

Nerve Conduction Studies (NCV)  Nerve Conduction Studies show how well the body’s electrical signals are traveling to a nerve. This test is performed by applying small electrical shocks to the nerve and recording how the nerve works. These shocks cause a quick, mild, tingling feeling. The physician may test several nerves.

Electromyography (EMG)  For this part of the test, a small, thin needle is inserted in several muscles to see if there are any problems. A new needle is used for each patient and it is thrown away after the test. There may be a small amount of pain when the needle is inserted. The physician will test only the muscles necessary in diagnosing your problem. The physician will view and listen to the electrical signals that travel from the needle to the EMG machine. The physician then uses her medical knowledge to figure out what may be causing your symptoms.

How long will these tests take?  The tests usually take 20-90 minutes. You can do any of your normal activities, like eating, driving and exercising, before the tests. There are no lasting side effects. You can also do your normal activities after the tests.

How should I prepare for the tests?  Tell the EMG physician if you are taking aspirin, blood thinners (like Coumadin), have a pacemaker, or have hemophilia. Take a bath or shower to remove oil from your skin. Do not use body lotion on the day of the test. If you have myasthenia gravis, ask your EMG physician if you should take any medications before the test.