Are you afraid of EMG and NCS tests? Let's learn about them simply! (Electromyography & Nerve Conduction Study)

Do your limbs constantly go numb? Or do you feel unexplained pain or weakness in your muscles? If these symptoms persist, your doctor may recommend an EMG or NCS to find out the exact cause. When you hear these two names, you may feel a little scared. "What are these tests? Do they hurt? Are they dangerous?" Many questions may come to mind. So today, we will talk about these EMG and NCS tests in a very simple way that you can understand.

What are EMG and NCS?

These two tests measure how well our nerves and muscles are working. These two tests are often done together.

Nerve Conduction Study (NCS)

Simply put, our nerves are like little 'wires' that carry electricity. These nerves are where electrical messages from the brain and spinal cord travel to the limbs and muscles. The NCS test measures how fast and how strong the electricity travels in these 'wires'. This can help determine if a nerve is damaged or pinched somewhere.

Electromyography (EMG)

Now, after receiving the electrical message from the nerves, the EMG test checks whether our muscles are responding to it properly and functioning. In other words, it checks whether the muscles are working properly according to the 'order' coming from the nerves. This can help us determine whether there is a disease in the muscles themselves, or whether the muscles are weak due to a problem with the message coming from the nerves.

Why do I need this test?

It's normal for us to experience numbness in an arm or leg from time to time, or to feel a lump in our throat when lifting heavy objects. But if certain symptoms persist, these tests can help find the cause.

Imagine that you have constant pain and tingling in your wrist . We might think that lifting a heavy object has pulled a muscle. But sometimes the cause is not a muscle, but a nerve that runs through it. These tests help to find the exact cause.

If you continue to have the following symptoms , your doctor may recommend these tests:

• Frequent pain or muscle twitching
• Numbness or loss of sensation in the limbs
• Muscle weakness

Are these tests dangerous? Do they hurt?

This is the biggest problem for many people.

However, there are a few things that can happen very rarely:

• During an EMG test, a small infection may occur at the site where the needle is inserted.
• If you are taking blood thinners (e.g. Aspirin, Clopidogrel, Warfarin), you may experience some bleeding from the needle insertion site. Therefore, it is essential to tell your doctor about all medications you are taking before the test.
• In very rare cases, the needle can cause minor nerve damage, but since this is done by trained personnel, the risk is very low.

So does it really hurt?

The biggest reason many people are afraid of this is that it will hurt. During the NCS test, a small electrical current is applied to your skin. It's like a 'tick', a slight tingling sensation, like when a small 'current' hits our finger. It's a little uncomfortable, but not painful.

In an EMG, a very fine needle is inserted into the muscle. At that time, you may feel a little discomfort, like an injection . But many people say after the test that the pain was not as bad as they feared. For a day or two after the test, there may be a small bruise in the area, and your arm may hurt. This will go away completely within a week.

How do you prepare before the test?

You don't need to do anything special, but it's important to keep these things in mind.

• Bathing: Take a good bath on the morning of the test. But do not apply any lotion, cream, or oil to your body, as these can affect the test results.
• Smoking: Avoid smoking before the test.
• Clothing: Wear loose clothing that is not tight and can be easily removed.
• Food and Drink: You may eat normally, but avoid drinking caffeinated beverages such as coffee, tea, cola, and sugary drinks 2-3 hours before the test.
• Medication: Tell your doctor about all medications you take (especially blood thinners ). Be sure to tell your doctor if you have a pacemaker or ICD.

What actually happens during the test?

These tests are usually done in a hospital or clinic. Often, you don't need to stay in the hospital, and you can go home the same day after the test.

1. NCS test: This is usually done first. A neurologist or trained technician will place small stickers-like electrodes on your skin where the nerve to be tested is located. Then, one electrode will deliver a very small electrical current to the nerve. The other electrodes will measure the speed and strength of the electrical signal.

2. EMG test: Next, the EMG is done. Here too, there is an electrode on the skin, but the main thing is that a very fine, thin needle (fine needle electrode) is inserted through the skin into the muscle. Then you are told to relax that muscle for a while, and then slowly tighten it (flex). At this time, you can hear different sounds from the EMG machine and see things like graphs on the screen. This is how the doctor measures the activity of your muscles.

When to talk to the doctor after the examination

Although a minor bruise or injury is normal, call your doctor immediately if you have any of the following symptoms:

• If there is persistent bleeding from the needle puncture site.
• If there is unbearable pain in those places.
• If the area is red, swollen, warm, and has a fever (these could be signs of an infection).

EMG, NCS, Electromyography, Nerve Conduction Study, nerve test, muscle test, numbness, limb pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, pinched nerve, neuropathy