EMG non reliable?
 

Now, before you go off and say it is.. I want to tell you why in my case it wasn't.

The first 2 times the neurologist hadn't warmed my hands and feet.
Sure, they put a warm blanket over them, but, they didn't soak them in scalding hot water for umteen minutes.

**Anyone that has taken anatomy and physiology, or knows anything about nerve conduction knows that the 3 things that speed up nerve conduction are 1. the myelin sheeth 2. the width of the nerve and 3. temperature **

My new neuro literally had me soak my hands and feet in SCALDING water for many, many minutes before my EMG.

Which then my EMG showed "some" things had improved, but some had gotten worse.


... I want to go back and say "YOU FLIPPEN MORON!!!! You can't just change a constant like that and then say I've improved!" :mad::mad::mad:

Do I have a right to be this mad? Obviously some things would be "faster" thus seem to have improve.
But, I had a new nerve show no response (thus, had declined), regardless of my neuro being retarded and changing the temp.

What do I do about this?
I don't exactly want a repeat EMG.. they aren't my favorite things.

i have had 6 emg/ncs's and have never had anyone try to warm up my feet, legs, arms, or hands with anything never mind near scalding water. I was under the impression that heat slows down nerve impulses. It increases resistance.

Me too. I have had several EMG's done over the last 4 yrs, and not once was I even given a warm blanket. This is the first I have ever heard of this. Even when they did the full body EMG, I had only a paper sheet.:eek:

Yes, generally--
 

--to my knowledge, these nerve conduction tests are supposed to be done in a cool environment, not very warm, as first, sweat may interfere with some of the conductivity readings, and second, increased body temeprature is generally the enemy of good nerve conduction, as the MS people wearing their cooling vests and trying very hard to avoid fever-sparked exacerbations will tell you.

Were they perhaps trying to see what readings would be obtained in a non-optimal environment?

I've had 2 EMG's in the past 6 months. Prior to the first one they warmed my extremities with heating pads. The second one was preceded by warming of my hands and feet in very warm water. The tech who did the second one indicated that the first one was not accurate since warming with heating pads, and not water, was not adequate. She indicated that that was why my second EMG showed improvement. The EMG's were done at 2 different Boston teaching hospitals. Just my experience....

I've had several EMG's, the room has always been very cool and there has NEVER been any warming of any kind

Hot, ever Warm water KILLS my feet, it hurts so bad to take a warm shower I have to make the water cold. They'd have to strap me down lol!

Anyone else like that? Where warm water is so painful?

When it comes to Small Fiber Neuropathy, EMGs may be normal, and one can have raging SFN.

I have normal EMGs and very abnormal skin biopsy and autonomic tests.