EMG and Nerve Conduction Studies Intranet Format 1203012
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E lectrom yog ram (EMG), Nerve Conduction Studies and Evoked Potentials These tests are used to look for causes of numbness, tingling, pain, weakness, fatigue and muscle cramping. The tests measure the electrical activity of muscles and nerves. This helps diagnose a problem in the muscle, the nerves supplying the muscle or the area of the brain that controls those muscles. To Prepare Tell the staff if you are taking any blood thinners, anti-cholinergic, cholinergics or skeletal-muscle relaxants. Your doctor or local pharmacist can tell you if the medicine you are taking are in these medicine categories. If you are having this test done as an outpatient, arrive at Registration at least 15 minutes before your test. Wear loose clothing. You may need to wear a hospital gown in order to get to the muscle that needs tested. Discomfort should disappear when the test is done. You may apply warm compresses or ice at the pin site if discomfort continues. EMG (Electromyogram) An EMG is a test that records electrical activity of a muscle. A needle is applied to the muscle to see if there is a problem with a muscle or the nerve controlling it. Nerve Conduction Studies (NCSs) Nerve conduction studies test nerve function by looking at how signals travel along a nerve. Small electric pulses are applied to the nerve at one place along a nerve. The signal is then recorded as it moves down the nerve. What To Expect The doctor inserts a small wire electrode into a muscle. There may be mild discomfort when the pin is inserted into the muscle. The electrical activity of that muscle is recorded. The muscle’s electrical activity is measured at rest and with contraction. For nerve conduction studies, the electrodes in or on the surface of the muscle are electrically stimulated with a very low voltage electrical shock. OVER
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Transcript of EMG and Nerve Conduction Studies Intranet Format 1203012
Electromyogram (EMG), Nerve Conduction Studies and Evoked Potentials
These tests are used to look for causes of numbness, tingling, pain, weakness, fatigue and muscle cramping. The tests measure the electrical activity of muscles and nerves. This helps diagnose a problem in the muscle, the nerves supplying the muscle or the area of the brain that controls those muscles. To Prepare Tell the staff if you are taking any blood
thinners, anti-cholinergic, cholinergics or skeletal-muscle relaxants. Your doctor or local pharmacist can tell you if the medicine you are taking are in these medicine categories.
If you are having this test done as an outpatient, arrive at Registration at least 15 minutes before your test.
Wear loose clothing. You may need to wear a hospital gown in order to get to the muscle that needs tested.
Discomfort should disappear when the test is done. You may apply warm compresses or ice at the pin site if discomfort continues.
EMG (Electromyogram) An EMG is a test that records electrical activity of a muscle. A needle is applied to the muscle to see if there is a problem with a muscle or the nerve controlling it. Nerve Conduction Studies (NCSs) Nerve conduction studies test nerve function by looking at how signals travel along a nerve. Small electric pulses are applied to the nerve at one place along a nerve. The signal is then recorded as it moves down the nerve.
What To Expect The doctor inserts a small wire electrode
into a muscle. There may be mild discomfort when the pin is inserted into the muscle.
The electrical activity of that muscle is recorded. The muscle’s electrical activity is measured at rest and with contraction.
For nerve conduction studies, the electrodes in or on the surface of the muscle are electrically stimulated with a very low voltage electrical shock.
OVER
What To Expect (continued) You may feel slight pain or tingling
during the electrical stimulus. The time it takes for the muscle to response to the stimulation is measured.
The specialist will report the test results to your doctor. Your doctor will share the results with you.
Evoked Potentials (Eps) EPS (Evoked Potentials) is a test that records the electrical activity of nerve pathways that effect the spinal cord, vision pathways and hearing pathways. Types of evoked potentials: Visual Evoked Potentials studies
the visual (seeing) nervous system. Three or more electrodes are attached to your head with an adhesive. You will be asked to stare at the strobe light or a pattern on a TV screen. The light is the stimulus. Visual Evoked Potentials are used to look for optic nerve disorders.
Brainstem Auditory Evoked Potentials studies the auditory (hearing) nervous system. Two electrodes are attached to your scalp and one is attached to each ear lobe. Earphones placed over your ears deliver a series of tones or clicks to each ear separately. The sound is the stimulus. Brainstem Auditory Evoked Potentials are used to look for auditory tumors and brain diseases.
Somatosensory Evoked Potentials study the
nerve pathway from your arm & leg nerves through the spine to a region of the brain. Electrodes are attached to your scalp and various points along the nerve pathway from your arm or leg to the brain. A small electrical current is applied to the skin over a nerve(s) on the arms or legs. The electrical current is the stimulus. Somatosensory Evoked Potentials look at spinal cord injuries/diseases and diseases of the nervous/muscular system. It is also used to monitor nerve condition during spinal surgery.
Call your doctor if you have questions or concerns.
Copyright, 1991, OhioHealth, Columbus, OH Rev. 9/2004, 1203012
