Valley Chiropractic, serving Kelowna, Vernon, and the surrounding regions of British Columbia, offers EMG nerve testing with Dr. Mike Rumpel and Dr. Larry Kinakin to diagnose tingling, numbness, or other symptoms. Here's everything you should know about this evaluation.
General Information
EMG nerve testing, also known as electromyography testing, assesses your muscle and nerve health. During the test, a chiropractor will place an electrode at the site of the dysfunction. The electrodes detect the electric signals that run through a muscle when it contracts, and our practitioner will interpret them. Testing allows our practitioner to measure the strength and speed of nerve signaling.
When We Recommend It
We recommend this testing if you have numbness, tingling, burning, weakness, pain, or cramping in a muscle.
EMG nerve testing can help us determine whether your symptoms are related to sciatica. Other possible diagnoses it helps to make include:
- Neuropathy
- Myopathy
- Fibromyalgia
- Spinal disorders
- Radiculopathy
- Nerve compression
- Disc herniation
At Valley Chiropractic, serving Kelowna and Vernon, this test usually takes around an hour.
Safety of the Test
As you're considering if EMG nerve testing is the right test for you, know most people don't experience any side effects. For most who do, they're usually mild and temporary, primarily either skin irritation or an allergic reaction to the adhesive on the electrodes.
We'd also like you to know you likely won't feel a thing unless you have sensitive skin. The test works by detecting weak signals being emitted by the muscles, not by sending electrical signals. The device will amplify them so our practitioner can more easily read the results.
Preparation
Preparation for EMG nerve testing is simple. You don't have to fast before it, nor will you need to stop blood thinners like you would for some testing. However, we may tell you to stop taking pyridostigmine because it elevates your nerve transmission, which can make the results slightly less accurate. We'll let you know the specifics of your situation at an appointment beforehand.
We suggest you shower/bathe prior to this diagnostic to remove any oils on your skin. Avoid putting on any oil, lotion, or other products prior to your appointment, as they can interfere with the electrodes' ability to adhere to the skin.
While we don't recommend this testing for every patient, we use it to diagnose or rule out other causes of an issue in some cases. If you need EMG nerve testing from Dr. Rumpel and Dr. Kinakin of Valley Chiropractic, serving Vernon, Kelowna, and the neighboring communities, know it's a comfortable and safe process.
Call 250-549-4535 or set up an appointment through our website.