The first time I was scheduled for an EMG (Electromyography) I was terrified. I must say, my primary care physician did not help much. When I asked her what sort of test it was she explained that it is a test designed to discover the functionality of the muscles and nerves in the extremities of my body. She then volunteered “it’s not exactly torture.” That was not terribly helpful information, and I could have done without that last bit.
So, for those of you who are wondering what an EMG is, and want to know exactly what will happen and what you will experience, I will provide a fairly simple explanation of the test, and share with you my experience while undergoing it. Your response may be slightly different from mine if you are more or less sensitive to stimulus than I am, but it should be fairly well with in the ballpark of my experience. That is unless you have some impairment in your nerves or muscles. If that is the case, then your experience may be far less uncomfortable.
The EMG is a needle electrode that is inserted through the skin and into the muscle. It is used to detect electrical activity in the muscle. The needle is very thin, about the size of an acupuncture needle. If you are unfamiliar with acupuncture needles, think of it as being about the same diameter as a course hair. I had the EMG performed on my right arm and shoulder. The doctor moved the needle up and down in the muscle, and a static sound could be heard coming from the computer the electrode needle was connected to. This was the sound of my muscles firing up. The doctor then asked me to tense and relax certain muscles so she could see their response to the electrode.
The needles were so small, all I really felt was a slightly sore sensation with a bit of pinching when I changed the tension in my muscles. On the whole, I found the EMG to be less uncomfortable and invasive than the NCV, and much shorter. The NCV took over an hour to perform, and the EMG was finished in about 10 minutes.
Regardless of the uncomfortable sensation, the EMG/NCV is an extremely beneficial and informative test, and despite my apprehension, I am very pleased that I had it performed. One of the most satisfying things about the test is that the tech and attending physician can tell you their findings as you go along. There is no waiting for blood test results or for the radiologist to read the scan, it’s just two people looking into a computer and telling you exactly what they are seeing. You will walk out of the test with information that will help you to diagnose or rule out what ever is going on to warrant the test.
So, while my experience with the EMG test was not what I’d call fun, I will give some credence to the words of my former primary care physician. It wasn’t exactly torture. In fact, it wasn’t so bad at all.
Do You Know What EMG Test Is? Have a look on EMG Test- Essential Information For You To Know .