Do not use body lotion or wear jewelry on the extremity being tested on the day of the test. The day of the test, take a bath or shower to remove oil from your skin. If you have been diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis, ask your EMG doctor if you should take any medications before the tests. Please bring a list of all of your medications with you for the doctor performing the test. Tell the doctor if you are taking aspirin, blood thinners (like Coumadin), have a pacemaker, lung disease, hemophilia, or at risk for an infection. The training teaches doctors what can go wrong with the human body and how to tell the difference between these problems. Medical training helps the doctor decide which tests to perform based on your symptoms. Most work as neurologists or physical medicine and rehabilitation doctors. What Training Do You Need to Perform an EMG/NCS?ĭoctors who perform EMG/NCS’s go to 4 years of medical school, then have 3 or 4 more years of training in a residency program. Patel, M.D., certified by the American Board of Electrodiagnostic Medicine (ABEM), is the laboratory’s medical director. Kansas City Bone & Joint Clinic is the first EMG laboratory in Kansas to receive Exemplary Laboratory Accreditation status from the American Association of Neuromuscular & Electrodiagnostic Medicine (AANEM). Did you know that Kansas City Bone and Joint Clinic has the only accredited EMG/NCS lab in the greater KC area, as well as the entire state of Kansas? A trained assistant or technologist under a doctor’s supervision can do nerve conduction studies. The certified technician may test several nerves.The American Association of Neuromuscular & Electrodiagnostic Medicine’s policy is that an appropriately trained physician should do all needle testing. These shocks cause a quick, mild, tingling feeling. This is done by applying small electrical shocks to the nerve and recording how the nerve works. Nerve conduction studies show how well the body’s electrical signals are traveling to a nerve. The physician then uses his medical knowledge to figure out what could be causing your problem. During the EMG test the physician will be able to hear and see how your muscles and nerves are working by the electrical signals made by your muscles. The physician tests only the muscles necessary to decide what is wrong. There may be a small amount of pain during this part of the examination. It is used once for each patient and is thrown away after the test. Electromyography (EMG) is a test that helps in assessing the function of the muscles and Nerve Conduction Study (NCS): Assesses the nerves controlling the muscles and the junction between a nerve and a muscle.įor this test, a small, thin needle is inserted into several muscles to see if there are any problems.

Is emg test painful