drugs

People fearful they have ALS may wonder if their EMG test missed it because it was done too early; the test results came out normal, but then, you still think you have ALS and begin doubting the test accuracy in detecting this fatal neurological disease. Every 90 minutes in America, someone is diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and death typically occurs 2-5 years after diagnosis, usually due to respiratory failure.

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.

An EMG test will determine if you have a deadly neurological disease, as well as many benign conditions. But exactly is involved during an EMG test? (Does it hurt?) I sat in on an EMG test that was recently done on my mother, and it’s actually a very fascinating invention of medical technology.

Lamictal is classified as an anticonvulsant drug. It also helps regulate mood and increase the time between manic and depressive episodes in patients with bipolar disorder. Like many drugs, it carries a small risk of some serious and potentially fatal side effects. However, with proper patient education and health care monitoring the chances of a serious or permanent side effect are rare.

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a disease that affects the neurons in your spinal cord. Over time the disease can interfere with muscle control in any part of the body including those connected with breathing and swallowing. There are several types of SMA. The severity and progression of the disease depends on the type and how early symptoms first develop.

An EMG test can actually hurt. It depends on how sensitive a person is to pain, and in the case of an test, the pain can come from two sources: an electric shock delivered by the doctor, and needle pricks, which can take the form of an embedded needle that the doctor maneuvers around while it’s beneath the skin.