EMG / NCV
What you need to know about your EMG/NCV
What types of conditions are diagnosed with EMG/NCV?
Patients that have neck pain hand or arm numbness or tingling are usually referred for the test. Your doctor may want to exclude the following:
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Ulnar neuropathy at the wrist or elbow
- Pinched nerve (cervical radiculopathy)
- Brachial plexus injury
- Radial neuropathy
- Thoracic outlet syndrome
- Myopathy (muscle weakness)
- Myofascial referred pain
Patients that have back pain with lower extremity pain may have the following:
- Lumbosacral radiculopathy
- Peroneal neuropathy
- Sciatic neuropathy
- Tarsal tunnel syndrome
- Lumbosacral plexopathy
Frequently Asked Questions
Tell your health care provider before the test if:
- You have any bleeding problems,
- You have a pacemaker,
- You have allergies, or
- You are taking any medicines.
On the day of the test, take a shower to remove body oil and do not use body lotion.
The first part of the test requires the doctor to isolate specific nerves with precisely placed electrodes and then he /she will provide a low voltage electrical stimulus to activate or depolarize the nerve. The doctor will evaluate different nerves in the extremity, protocols vary, but be prepared to have about 4-6 nerve stimulated. The second phase of the test is the needle examination study in which the doctor places a thin needle into 4-6 different muscles to look for muscle abnormality.
