Are your limbs numb? Let's learn about the Nerve Conduction Study!

Do you sometimes feel a tingling sensation in your hands or feet? Do your fingers sometimes feel like they're going numb? Today we're talking about a special test that doctors use to find out if there's a problem with your nervous system. This is called a Nerve Conduction Study, or NCS test for short.

Simply put, what is this neurological test (NCS)?

Think of the nerves in our body as electrical wires. These wires are where electrical signals from the brain travel to our limbs, telling the brain what we feel (hot, cold) and instructing us to move our limbs in the way we want. The NCS test is a test that measures how these electrical wires, or nerves, are functioning.

This mainly looks at the condition of your peripheral nerves . That is, the network of nerves that extends throughout the body outside the main system called the brain and spinal cord. This test measures how fast an electrical signal travels along a nerve and how strong that signal is.

Let's see what kind of nerves this is looking for:

• Motor Nerves: These are the nerves that control our muscles and help us move. For example, when you want to raise your arm, these nerves carry the message from your brain to your arm muscles.
• Sensory Nerves: These nerves carry the things we feel, such as touch, pain, and heat, to the brain. If you touch something hot, these sensory nerves quickly notify the brain.

Your doctor will order this test if you have symptoms such as numbness, tingling, or weakness in your arms, hands, or soles of your feet. This NCS test is usually done along with another test called EMG (Electromyography) . We'll talk about that later.

What diseases can be detected by the NCS test?

This test mainly detects nerve damage and nerve compression. Let's look at what these conditions are and what causes them.

1. Peripheral Neuropathy

This is caused by damage to the peripheral nerves throughout the body. There can be many reasons for this.

2. Nerve Compression Syndromes

This occurs when a nerve becomes pinched between a bone, muscle, or other tissue somewhere in the body.

Here are some examples of this:

• Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: A condition that commonly affects people who work at a computer or type for long periods of time. This is caused by compression of a nerve that runs through the wrist , causing numbness and pain in the thumb, index finger, and middle finger.
• Sciatica: A condition caused by compression of a major nerve that runs from the back down the leg, causing severe pain and numbness that radiates down the leg.

What is the difference between NCS and EMG tests?

Most of the time, these two tests are done together. But these two tests look at two things.

Simply put,

• The NCS test looks at how well and how fast the 'current' flows along the 'wire' called the nerve.
• The EMG test looks at how the muscle connected to that nerve responds after the current passes, that is, how well it contracts.

By doing both of these tests together, your doctor can determine exactly whether your symptoms are caused by a nerve problem or a muscle problem.

How should I prepare for this test?

This doesn't require much preparation, but keep these things in mind.

• Take a good shower before coming for the test. It's important to stay clean.
• Do not apply any creams, lotions, powders , or oils to your limbs on the day of the test. Leaving these on the skin may affect the accuracy of the test.
• Come wearing comfortable, loose clothing .
• If you have a pacemaker or other electronic device implanted in your body, you must tell your doctor before the test.

What happens during the test? Is there anything to be afraid of?

Many people are a little afraid of this test, because it involves giving a 'current'. But there's really no reason to be afraid.

Here is what happens step by step during the test:

1. You will be made to sit in a chair or lie down on a bed.

2. Then, the doctor or technician will attach small sticker-like objects called electrodes to the surface of your skin, where the nerves to be tested are located.

3. Then, a very small, gentle electrical pulse is delivered to the nerve from one electrode.

4. This feels like a small electrical current that sometimes 'tickles' when we put on clothes. Some people feel it as a slight tickle. This is not painful. Although it stings a little at first, it lasts less than a second.

5. As this electrical signal travels along the nerve, other electrodes measure how fast it is traveling.

6. In this way, a small electrical pulse is given to several areas of the nerve and data is collected.

This entire process can take anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour, depending on the number of nerves being tested.

Things to know about the test results (Report)

You can usually get your results report within 24-48 hours of taking the test.

But the most important thing to remember is that this NCS report is only one piece of the puzzle. Your doctor doesn't make a decision based on this report alone. He or she will take into account your symptoms, your other medical conditions, and the results of any other tests that may have been done, to determine your exact condition and plan your treatment.

Therefore, it is essential to talk to your doctor about it after receiving the report and get an explanation from him.

Nerve Conduction Study, NCS, EMG, nerve test, numbness, peripheral neuropathy, carpal tunnel syndrome, nerve disorders