Confused about Bulbar ALS?

[FreddieTheFox]

I read pregnanthandhappy's post where she said that there are people with clean emgs devolping bulbar als? Can this be true? Do you know people that have twitches been to neuro and said they were alright still got bulbar als?I had emg in legs and arms. Fasciculations were found but neuro said that his wasn't als en good twitches but maybe I got bulbar than if they cannot check this??? Help me pleaseFreddieTheFox

 

[papillon58]

I would like to know what people have heard on this front as well... i have heard both that emg's are only valid in the muscle they are taken in and that emgs are valid and that they would detect bulbar. I can not get this out of my mind-- i am a tongue twitcher and it flips me out-- in addition, i do something weird with my tongue at night when i am sleeping-- i did have a clean emg about 6 weeks ago-- also, my lips twitch after i scrunch them up--

 

[edadoStar]

I don't think she never meant to say that. The answer is: no. Any Neuro can confirm.

 

[InkedMama]

Let me clear this up- I saught out some answers from some neuro's and others- IF you present with JUST speeech isssues only or JUST UPPER MOTOR NEURON SIGNS , NO FASICULATIONS...THEN YES! It can sometimes produce a CLEAN EMG! What we have LOWER MOTOR NEURON SIGNS (FASICULATIONS) CAN NOT be MISSED VIA EMG! So....This is what I was told..."Mrs. ******** when we did your EMG you were having Fasciculations. Lower Motor Neuron Signs. Therefore if your twitching all over...It does NOT matter WHERE it originated from! Also, If I stuck your right arm- it speaks for your left arm etc.". I did not mean to scare anyone- I scared myself actually when I kept seeing " I had a clean EMG and still had ALS". So I saught the answers out. REMEMBER- ONCE you are FASCICULATING DUE TO ALS- THOSE ARE LOWER MOTOR NEURON SIGNS. (look it up, if you want). UMN signs are clinical signs...til they progress. Hyperreflexia +4 Reflexes...Babinski, weakness/atrophy etc. Its more a clinical dx until they reach your LMN. BUT AGAIN , by the time you are fasciculating- thats LMN signs and your EMG would pick it up. Read this link:Go DOWN to TEWESTS response- and he has a additional link as well. Again I didnt mean to scare anyone- heck I scared myself even. Thats why I hate the internet.Lovely