Electrodiagnostic Medicine
Electrodiagnostic medicine offers several electrical diagnostic examinations of your nerves and muscles. Our physiatrists with the assistance of a technician do the testing.
An EMG (Electromyography) is an electrical examination of your nerves and muscles. It is a two-part procedure consisting of nerve conduction study and muscle electrical test.
The Nerve Conduction Studies are done by taping metal electrodes to the skin and giving small electrical stimulation to a nerve in order to see how well the nerve functions. The second test studies the electrical activity in muscles by inserting a fine needle into the muscles.
Both electrical stimulation and needle examination may be uncomfortable for some, but most patients tolerate the test well. EMGs take approximately one hour. Please do not apply lotions, creams, or oils to your skin prior to the test.
A somatosensory-evoked potential study is also an electrical examination of your nerves. Light electrical stimulation is applied to the hands or feet to generate electrical signals to travel to the brain. The conduction speed and strength of these electrical signals are measured as they reach the spine and brain.
A P1-latency study is a somatosensory-evoked potential study, specific to particular nerve roots of the lower back, and useful in the investigation of back pain syndromes.
