Electromyography (EMG) is a diagnostic test that assesses muscle activity and is often done with a nerve conduction study. It can diagnose muscle and nerve disorders, and involves placing needle electrodes on the skin to record electrical energy emitted by muscles and nerves. The test is safe, but may cause mild discomfort and carries a small risk of nerve injury, infection or bleeding. EMG combined with nerve conduction studies can diagnose a wide range of disorders, including peripheral neuropathy and myasthenia gravis.
Electromyography (EMG) is a diagnostic medical test that evaluates skeletal muscle activity. This test is often done in conjunction with a test called a nerve conduction study. This allows your doctor to assess the health of your muscles while also testing the activity of the nerves that control those muscles. Electromyography and nerve conduction tests can be used to diagnose muscle and nerve disorders, such as muscular dystrophy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and sciatica.
The activity of muscles and nerves creates electrical energy that works to tell the muscles when to move, because the nerve cells in motor neurons send electrical signals that cause the muscle cells to contract. Healthy muscles and nerves generate characteristic electrical patterns during activity. When someone undergoes electromyography, their electrical muscle activity is recorded and compared to a known normal baseline. This comparison is then used to help diagnose muscle disorders. When a nerve conduction study is done at the same time, nerve activity can also be assessed.
During this test, several needle electrodes are placed on the patient’s skin. Needle electrodes are a type of electrode with a needle attached. The needle is inserted into a muscle so its electrical energy can be recorded as the muscle moves. The electrodes can record the electrical energy emitted by muscles and nerves, as well as the strength and rate of transmission of electrical energy. The energy patterns are recorded and interpreted by a computer.
You don’t need any special preparation to undergo an EMG, but it’s best to avoid using creams or body lotions on the day of the test, as they can make the electrodes less sticky. Electromyography is not a risky procedure. The amount of electrical energy a patient is exposed to is very small and poses no danger. Some people experience discomfort similar to that of a mild electric shock, and needles inserted into muscles cause a level of discomfort similar to that of an injection. There is a very small risk of nerve injury, infection or bleeding from the needle insertion.
Electromyography in combination with nerve conduction studies can be used to diagnose a wide variety of muscle and nerve disorders. In addition to dystrophies that affect muscles, this combination of tests can help diagnose peripheral neuropathy disorders and motor neuron disorders. Diseases that affect the junctions between nerve and muscle cells, such as myasthenia gravis, can also be diagnosed with this combination of tests.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
