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Nerve and muscle test (EMG)
EMG · nerve conduction study · electromyography · nerve test
The doctor checks how signals travel along your nerves and how your muscles work. Sensors on the skin, weak electrical pulses, and sometimes a thin needle are used.
For numbness, tingling, or weakness in your arms or legs, after nerve injuries, for back pain that spreads to the leg, or with diabetes.
⏱ Duration: usually 30 to 60 minutes
Be sure to tell your doctor
How to prepare
- Skin. Wash your arms and legs. Do not use cream or oil on the day of the test.
- Warmth. Cold hands and feet change the result. Come in warm clothes and socks.
- Clothes. Wear loose clothes, so your arms and legs are easy to uncover. Take off rings and bracelets.
- Medicines. Do not stop your medicines. If you are unsure, tell your doctor. The doctor decides.
What to bring
- Your referral
- Past EMG and MRI reports, if you have them
How it goes
- You lie or sit down and uncover the arm or leg being tested
- Sensors are stuck on your skin
- The doctor sends short, weak electrical pulses to the nerve
- A computer records how fast the signal travels
- Sometimes a thin needle goes into a muscle, and you are asked to tense and relax it
- The sensors are removed
What you'll feel
- The pulses feel like clicks or small electric shocks. Unpleasant, but bearable
- The muscle may twitch on its own. This is normal
- The needle feels like a quick prick
Afterwards
- You can go back to your day right away
- After a needle test, the muscle may ache a little for a day or two
- The report is given right away or in 1 to 2 days
Common questions
Does an EMG hurt?
The pulses are unpleasant, like a small electric click, but short. Most people handle it calmly.
Is the electric current in an EMG dangerous?
No. The current is very weak and short. It only checks the nerve.