Why EMG Done?

  • Find problems that damage muscle tissue, nerves, or the spots where nerves and muscles join. These problems may include a herniated disc, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or myasthenia gravis (MG).
  • Find the cause of weakness, paralysis, or muscle twitching. Problems in a muscle or the nerves going to a muscle can cause these symptoms. So can problems in the spinal cord or the area of the brain that controls a muscle. The EMG does not show brain or spinal cord diseases.
A nerve conduction study is done to:
  • Find damage to the peripheral nervous system. This includes all the nerves that lead away from the brain and spinal cord. It also includes the smaller nerves that branch out from those nerves. This test is often used to help find nerve problems such as carpal tunnel syndrome or Guillain-Barré syndrome.

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