EMG and Neurological Diagnoses

[BandersnatchF]

An EMG is used to diagnose a wide range of neurological problems, including carpal tunnel syndrome, pinched nerves, sciatica, diabetic neuropathy, and a whole bunch more.

Note that increased reflexes are related to upper motor neurons, and may not show up on EMG. It's normal for some reflexes to be more brisk than others; as long as you're not hyperreflexive (extreme response to stimuli), you're fine. Even if you do have hyperreflexia, you're still probably OK—several people here (including me) have had elevated reflexes in one or more muscles with no ill effects.

Finger twitching is incredibly common, both in those affected by BFS and the general population. My wife has recently been complaining that the muscle between her index finger and thumb (first dorsal interosseus) has been twitching a lot. I've noticed that muscle twitching as well (along with many others).

 

[alanginsberg]

Thanks Troy for the advice. None of this would not have happened except for an annoying pinky twitch that went non stop for about a week and then just halted about a month ago. I have always had twitches here and there in my body since I was a child but never gave any thought to any of it until my pinky started twitching. Then of course I feared Parkinson's and then ALS! As I got stressed out, I began to have twitches in that arm, my leg, etc. I do wonder if anxiety can make the twitching worse.

It was very stressing to see my pinky move rapid fire a quarter inch, then stop, then do it again, etc for a week. Is this something that you had as well?

 

[alanginsberg]

Yea, my neuro stated that one side was more hyper than the other (one knee went six inches above the other). After seeing and testing my reflexes and the differences between them, he stated he was 99.9% sure it was not ALS.

Still it worries me that one side was more hyper than the other. Is that what you have as well?