If you’ve been in an accident—say a motor vehicle accident, a bad fall down the stairs or been taken down in the field with a hard tackle to the back of your knees—you could end up with serious health injuries affecting your nerves or muscles.
One way to make sure is to head on over to an accident doctor. One of the tests you’ll likely undergo is an electromyography.
What is EMG?
Electromyography or EMG testing is a type of diagnostic procedure that measures the electrical activity of your muscles when these muscles are used and at rest, says the WebMD.
What is it for?
The test helps doctors determine if you have any muscle or nerve disorders. If you’ve been experiencing any leg pain or numbness, this is one test your doctor will likely request for, to find out which of your nerves are affected and if so, why. The test also makes it easier for your doctors to identify the extent of the damage.
Am I a candidate for the test?
If you suffer from paralysis, unexplained weakness or muscle twitching, those could be indications of damage to your muscle tissue or nerves. These might also be the result of problems in your spinal cord. While EMG testing does not show brain or spinal cord diseases, it helps eliminate these causes, allowing your doctor to come up with a more accurate diagnosis for your condition.
How does the procedure go?
There are two parts to the process: the nerve conduction study which is followed by the needle EMG. The first one is designed to assess the nerves responsible for controlling muscle movement. The second part of the procedure evaluates nerve activity in the muscles being tested.
If you have any concerns or worries over the procedure, don’t hesitate to let your doctor know.
