Electromyography (EMG)

Overview: 

Electromyography (EMG) is a test used to assess the overall health and working of the skeletal muscles and the nerves that control them called motor neurons. 

EMG helps in revealing the dysfunction of the nerve, muscles by measuring the response of the muscles to the electrical activity or issues with transmiting signals between the nerves and the muscles that disrupts the contraction of muscles. 

Motor neurons send out electrical signals that contract muscles. EMG involves the use of little needles-like devices called electrodes that are pierced into the muscles to convert these signals into graphs, sounds, or numbers, which are interpreted and analyzed by a specialist. Neurologists conduct an EMG with a nerve conduction study (NCS) that measures the electrical current flow through a nerve before it reaches a muscle. The procedure is carried out in a clinic or hospital, depending on the condition of the person.

Understanding Muscles And Nerves: 

Every movement in the body, from sitting and standing to moving limbs, takes place through communication and coordination between the central nervous system, the nerves, and the muscles. For a movement to occur, the nerves transmit electric signals to the muscles and tell them what they must do. These signals start from the brain and go to the spinal cord through the nerves and reach the muscles. The electrical activity causes the muscles to tighten, which in turn produces electrical activity. When a muscle is not moving, there is no electrical activity.  

Why Does A Doctor Suggest Electromyography: 

• EMG can help diagnose various injuries and diseases that can affect the nerves and muscles. It helps to identify the location and the severity of the complications.  
• Doctors use EMG tests to rule out the following conditions. 
• Issues that affect peripheral nerves, like peripheral neuropathy and carpal tunnel syndrome. 
• Complications that influence nerve roots that stem out of the spinal cord. The examples are pinched nerves, cervical radiculopathy and sciatica. 
• Muscle problems like muscular dystrophy, polymyositis, and dermatomyositis. 
• Motor neuron complications in your brain, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or post-polio syndrome. 
• Guillain-Barré syndrome is a disorder that makes the immune system attack the nerves in the body, causing numbness, tingling, and paralysis. 
• Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) a nerve disorder that is genetic and leads to damage in the nerves and weakness in the muscles of the limbs. 
• A herniated disk is a condition when a portion of the spine, called a disk, is damaged and bulges out, pressuring the spine and causing pain and numbness. 
• Health issues that disrupt the connection between the nerves and muscles, such as myasthenia gravis. 

Doctors involve the use of other tests like imaging and blood tests and muscle biopsies along with electromyography to diagnose the above health conditions. 

The common symptoms that a doctor looks out for are: 

• Tingling in the muscles. 
• Numbness of the muscles. 
• Muscle weakness. 
• Muscle pain or cramping. 
• Pain in the limbs. 

The Procedure: 

• The doctor inserts a needle with the help of an electrode into the muscles to record the electrical activity. It is important to note that the needle doesn't deliver any electrical activity. 
• The needle is connected to a computer that lets the doctor see how the muscle is functioning at rest and when there is movement, which appears as waves on a monitor. An amplifier may also be used to hear the sound waves of the electrical activity. 
• The recordings are analyzed for any abnormal wave patterns to identify any issues. 
• The person is asked to bathe and wear comfortable clothes and is asked to avoid putting any creams, lotions or perfumes. 
• The doctor should be informed of any health condition or the intake of any medications especially blood thinning medicines. The doctor should also be notified if there is a pacemaker, or any other device implanted in the body. 
• Alcohol, smoking, and caffeinated beverages should be restricted a few hours before the procedure to avoid interference with the test. 
• A nerve conduction study is conducted, which involves sending an electrical impulse in the body and recording the response of multiple nerves. 
• The person is asked to lie or sit for electromyography. The doctor or technician asks the person to relax when the needles are pierced into the muscles as the needles may cause some discomfort. The person is asked to engage their muscles in certain ways like lifting, flexing while a machine captures the electrical activity of the muscle along with the audio. 
• The person's muscles may be sore or tender for a couple of days after the procedure. Some people may experience bruises where the needle was inserted. 
• The results are revealed within 24 to 48 hours after the testing is done. 

Risks Involved In Electromyography: 

 EMG is a procedure with minimum risks and complications. However, there may be a risk of bleeding, infection and nerve injury at the place where the needle is inserted.  

When the procedure involves examining chest muscles with needle electrodes there are chances of air leaking in the area between lungs and the wall of the chest. This can lead to the collapsing of the lungs, known as pneumothorax. 

When Should The Doctor Be Contacted: 

When there is bleeding, that doesn't stop. 

Severe pain in the area where needles were inserted. 

Symptoms such as redness and swelling at the area of the incision are accompanied by fever. 

Conclusion: 

If a person is showing indications of muscle problems, nerve damage or injury, an electromyography (EMG) test enables the doctor to gain insights about what is going on in the body. Additionally, it also helps the doctor with accurate diagnose and decide the best treatment modality. However, it is mandatory to always consult the doctor before any procedure and discuss all the details to avoid any complications in the future.

Popular Searches :

Hospitals: Cancer Hospital in Delhi | Best Heart Hospital in Delhi |  Hospital in Amritsar | Hospital in Ludhiana | Hospitals in Mohali | Hospital in Faridabad | Hospitals in Gurgaon | Best Hospital in Jaipur | Hospitals in Greater Noida | Hospitals in Noida | Best Kidney Hospital in Kolkata | Best Hospital in Kolkata | Hospitals in Rajajinagar Bangalore | Hospitals in Richmond Road Bangalore | Hospitals in Nagarbhavi Bangalore | Hospital in Kalyan West | Hospitals in Mulund | Best Hospital in India | | Cardiology Hospital in India | Best Cancer Hospital in India | Best Cardiology Hospital in India | Best Oncology Hospital In India | Best Cancer Hospital in Delhi | Best Liver Transplant Hospital in India

Doctors: Dr. Rana Patir | Dr. Rajesh Benny | Dr. Rahul Bhargava | Dr. Jayant Arora | Dr. Anoop Misra | Dr. Manu Tiwari | Dr. Praveer Agarwal | Dr. Arup Ratan Dutta | Dr. Meenakshi Ahuja | Dr. Anoop Jhurani | Dr. Shivaji Basu | Dr. Subhash Jangid | Dr. Atul Mathur | Dr. Gurinder Bedi | Dr. Monika Wadhawan | Dr. Debasis Datta | Dr. Shrinivas Narayan | Dr. Praveen Gupta | Dr. Nitin Jha | Dr. Raghu Nagaraj | Dr. Ashok Seth | Dr. Sandeep Vaishya | Dr. Atul Mishra | Dr. Z S Meharwal | Dr. Ajay Bhalla | Dr. Atul Kumar Mittal | Dr. Arvind Kumar Khurana | Dr. Narayan Hulse | Dr. Samir Parikh | Dr. Amit Javed | Dr. Narayan Banerjee | Dr. Bimlesh Dhar Pandey | Dr. Arghya Chattopadhyay | Dr. G.R. Vijay Kumar | Dr Ashok Gupta | Dr. Gourdas Choudhuri | Dr. Sushrut Singh | Dr. N.C. Krishnamani | Dr. Atampreet Singh | Dr. Vivek Jawali | Dr. Sanjeev Gulati | Dr. Amite Pankaj Aggarwal | Dr. Ajay Kaul | Dr. Sunita Varma | Dr. Manoj Kumar Goel | Dr. R Muralidharan | Dr. Sushmita Roychowdhury | Dr. T.S. MAHANT | Dr. UDIPTA RAY | Dr. Aparna Jaswal | Dr. Ravul Jindal | Dr. Savyasachi Saxena | Dr. Ajay Kumar Kriplani | Dr. Nitesh Rohatgi | Dr. Anupam Jindal