EMG Testing Concentrating on One Side?

[akohler1]

Tewest99...you seem to know a thing or two about EMG's. Why do they always seem to concentrate on one side of the body?? My biggest problem area is my left calf/foot area and my last test they seem to concentrate on the right side that was closest to the machine. Can this alter the test? Dr said they were diligent and test was Normal. My last one in Jan showed some findings but not enough for a diagnosis so the DR said that it's good that this one is clear. There are some concerns over a medication ( Enbrel ) that I took last year for RA. So now I wonder ( again ) ....

 

[paulrational]

they only need to test one side to see if you have any nerve damage,thats what they said to me.

 

[BandersnatchF]

It does matter which side is tested. If you have A/L/S or any other system disease of the lower motor neurons, eventually it'll affect all of your nerve roots. Until it does, though, it only affects some of them. In particular, each nerve has its own root, and nerves on opposite sides of the body die off separately. By the time you start twitching in A/L/S, it is likely that nerve damage would be seen in many areas on an EMG. However, if the twitching is due to other causes, such as a pinched nerve, the EMG would only pick up signs if it were done on the twitching limb.

It's better to get tested on the most affected limb(s), since that's where they're most likely to see neurological symptoms. Of course, if you twitch all over, the test can be done on any limb. If the neuro wants to look for any cause for twitching (not just A/L/S), s/he should test the limb that's twitching.

 

[ytewestGo99]

Typically, a neurologist will test the other side ONLY if ALS is suspected... meaning that it is a judgement call by the neuro. Of course the EMG is only part of the entire process. The clinical exam weighs in alot as well. If you had a clean exam and are twitching, the neuro may do the EMG just for confirmation of the benign diagnosis. More as a formality than a necessity. However if there is one area that is REALLY bothering you and you are getting an EMG, it never hurts to say, "as long as you're poking me, could you please try this area, it bothers me a lot". I'm sure that as long as you're getting poked, a couple more won't make a difference to the neuro or to you". But I still have to stand by what my neuro told me. He said it doesn;t make a difference which side gets tested. This would be worty of some research as I have had the same question myself. My left side bothers me more than my right. Thanks Bandersnatch_F for the insight. Let's look into this, ther ehave to be some technical articles on this. Perhaps because an ALS diagnosis by EMG requires 3 definite areas that doing an entire side of the body covers enough to eliminate one of the 3 areas and pointing away from an ALS diagnosis ... ???

 

[akohler1]

They did test some of both sides, but mostly on the right side. Like the electric zaps in the begining were done mostly on my right. I have twitching on both sides but my left seems worse. Let us all know if you find anything else out