Electromyography is a technique for evaluating and recording the electrical activity produced by skeletal muscles. EMG is performed using an instrument called an electromyograph to produce a record called an electromyogram.
Electromyography (EMG) is a diagnostic treatment to assess the health of muscles and the afferent neuron that manage them (motor neurons). EMG results can expose nerve dysfunction, muscle dysfunction or problems with nerve-to-muscle signal transmission.
Motor neurons transmit electrical signals that trigger muscles to contract. An EMG utilizes tiny gadgets called electrodes to translate these signals into charts, sounds or numerical values that are then translated by a specialist.
Throughout a needle EMG, a needle electrode placed directly into a muscle records the electrical activity in that muscle.
A nerve conduction research study, another part of an EMG, uses electrode stickers applied to the skin (surface area electrodes) to determine the speed and strength of signals taking a trip in between two or more points.
Your doctor may order an EMG if you have signs or symptoms that may indicate a nerve or muscle disorder. Such symptoms may include:
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• Muscle disorders, such as muscular dystrophy or polymyositis
• Diseases affecting the connection between the nerve and the muscle, such as myasthenia gravis
• Disorders of nerves outside the spinal cord (peripheral nerves), such as carpal tunnel syndrome or peripheral neuropathies
• Disorders that affect the motor neurons in the brain or spinal cord, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or polio
• Disorders that affect the nerve root, such as a herniated disk in the spine