Services Our Team Schedule Appointment Locations Patient Resources Research and Publications Links		Electrodiagnostic Tests: Nerve Conduction Studies (NCV) and Electromyography (EMG) Why is an electrodiagnostic study ordered?  Your physician may order an electrodiagnostic study when information about the nervous system is needed. Electrodiagnostic studies allow your physician to measure nerve activity and can help localize potential damage sites. If an MRI is like a “roadmap” of nerves, an electrodiagnostic study gives the “traffic flow.” Using electrodiagnostic studies, your physician can identify the presence of and severity of conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome or nerve pinches around the spine (called radiculopathy). While it cannot identify the cause of an injury, when combined with other studies and with your physician’s clinical expertise, it provides valuable information to help in identifying and treating your condition. An electrodiagnostic study consists of two parts: the nerve conduction study and electromyography (EMG). What is the nerve conduction study (NCV)? The nerve conduction study records the responses from nerves after they are stimulated. Your physician will place electrodes on your arm or leg. The nerve will then be stimulated using a small handheld electrical stimulator. You will feel a pricking sensation at the site of the stimulation. You may feel a brief electrical sensation along the course the nerve. Your hand or foot may twitch with each stimulation as the nerve will fire, activating the muscle to which it’s attached. The nerve responses are recorded by computer and analyzed by your physician. What is electromyography (EMG)? During the needle examination portion of the test, your physician will use a very thin, pin-like electrode. A new electrode is used for each patient, and it is thrown away after each test. The electrode will be inserted into a series of muscles in your arm or leg, as well as some muscles in your back or neck. You may be asked to move your muscles in certain directions for a few seconds at a time. Your physician will look at and listen to the electrical signals that travel to the EMG machine from your muscle. Though this portion of the examination may be somewhat uncomfortable, the discomfort is brief and passes quickly. How long will these tests take? The tests usually take twenty to ninety minutes. You may do any of your normal activities like eating, driving and exercising, before the tests. There are no lasting side effects. You can also do your normal activities after the tests. How should I prepare for the tests? Tell your physician if you are taking aspirin, blood thinners, have a pacemaker, hemophilia or are pregnant. Take a bath or shower to remove oil from your skin. Do not use body lotion on the day of the test. You may take your normal medications, including pain medications, on the day of the examination. When will I know the test results? Your doctor will discuss the test results with you and send them to your referring doctor. The doctor who sent you for your electrodiagnostic study will then discuss the next step in your care. What kind of medical training do doctors who do electrodiagnostic studies have? Doctors who perform electrodiagnostic studies go to four years of medical school, then have three or four more years of further training called residenAll the physicians in our practice are specialists in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, also known as Physiatrists. Medical training helps the physician decide which test to perform based on your symptoms. It teaches physicians things that can go wrong with the human body and how to tell the difference between these things.