Electrodiagnostic Testing (NCV/EMG Studies)

What is electrodiagnostic testing?

Electrodiagnostic testing involves specific tests that measure the activities in your muscles and nerves to determine the underlying cause of your pain or discomfort. You may need electrodiagnostic testing to identify the cause of:

• Back pain
• Neck pain
• Muscle cramps
• Muscle weakness
• Numbness, tingling, burning, or pins and needles sensations in arms and legs or hands and feet. 

Dr. Shah offers several in-office electrodiagnostic tests to guide your decision about further treatment options with a high level of accuracy, and develop of precise plan of care moving forward . These tests include nerve conduction velocity (NCV) testing and electromyography (EMG). 

What can I expect during electrodiagnostic testing?

During your appointment for electrodiagnostic testing, Dr. Shah measures how your nerves and muscles function and work together.

As part of your EMG study, he targets a specific muscle and gently places a thin acupuncture-like probe just underneath the skin. As your muscle relaxes and contracts, the device records the electrical impulses of your movements and displays them on a monitor in a wave-like pattern. This is typically a passive and non-painful process.

To further diagnose the root source of your pain, you may also need a nerve conduction velocity study that measures the speed of electrical impulses that travel along your nerve during muscle movements, to determine the exact site of pinched nerves causing your symptoms.

This non-invasive test involves applying electrode patches over the surface of your skin, where the target nerve lies. Dr. Shah delivers low levels of electrical stimulation into the electrodes to stimulate your nerves. The testing device records how fast the signal moves through your nerve and shows the results of your test on a monitor.

How long does it take to get the results of electrodiagnostic testing?

Because NCV and EMG studies display your results in real-time, Dr. Shah can review your nerve and muscle function test results during your appointment, discuss your results, as well as future care plan to relieve your pain long term.

Once he understands your test results and identifies underlying disorders that cause your pain, Dr. Shah can discuss your options for treatment. Test results provide him with the opportunity to create a more accurate treatment plan to address both your pain and its underlying cause.

To learn more about the benefits of electrodiagnostic testing, call the SamWell Institute for Pain Management office nearest you or request an evaluation using the online booking system today.