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Posted 1/9/2011 9:59 PM (GMT 0)

My Rheumy has booked me in to the local hospital for an EMG/NCS (nerve condution study).  Has anyone had these tests done?  What is the benefit of these tests for fibro sufferers? Is it painful for us?  Can it cause a flare?

I don't like people poking at me - I've got my fibro just where I can manage a life - with Lyrica, painkillers, sleeping tabs, Tai Chi, rest, no exertion, pacing, education ... you know.  Any deviation from these, no matter how subtle, can cause a major flare and make me bedridden and set me back.

Please can I have your opinions, voice, help ... anything!

Love to you all in fibroland. rolleyes Oxygene 

Posted 1/9/2011 10:20 PM (GMT 0)
Oxygene,
I and my hubby had that test done in the same wk. It isn;t pleasant, but you;ll be able to make it through. There;s nothing I hate worse than needles, but I;ve kinda gotten used to being poked and prodded w/fibro. I have a technique I;ve been doing a long time..
When they get ready to "hit" you, look away and concentrate on breathing.
This isn;t a pleasant test, but honestly its not overly painful. I have issues w/dr;s anyway, so its all an issue, isn;t it.
Good luck and Godspeed, Barbara
Posted 1/9/2011 10:26 PM (GMT 0)
Barbo

Thanks for sharing your experience. I'm still considering whether to go or not! You've prepared me at least - I have this thing with procedures, where I recite (silently) all Presidents of the US in chronological order - and I'm Australian! Thanks I made need to use that one.

Love Oxygene
Posted 1/9/2011 10:42 PM (GMT 0)
If the doc wants you to have the test he probably has a good reason. These tests identify if nerves are functioning properly. For instance, they can show if hand pain is from carpal tunnel. Or they can show if a nerve is pinched at the neck.

I've had this a couple of times, expect to have another one to show where my shoulder pain is coming from. One doc says it's the neck, the other one says it's tendonitis. Treatment is different for the two, and I'd like the pain to go away, not just put up with it.

Part of the test doesn't hurt. Some of the needles though, do hurt. But not all of them! If the doc puts one in that is intolerable, he can take out and move it to another spot.
Posted 1/9/2011 11:04 PM (GMT 0)
You guys are something else ... that's what I love about this forum ... you have something on your mind, air it and get an instant comment. Thanks so much, it helps me evaluate as the CEO of my fibro condition.

Thanks Alcie
Oxygene
Posted 1/10/2011 12:36 AM (GMT 0)
Hey Oxygene, I had an EMG at the beginning of my fibro diagnosis. I'll describe what they did to me. A nurse took a wand with 2 tips on it (a positive and negative end). She placed it on different places of my hand, wrist, arm, and leg and sent voltage to the wand. My muscles would twitch and it'd hurt a little bit. She did this for about 10 minutes on just one side of my body. After that, the doctor came in with a thin, long needle that he would stick in different places of the same body parts. Overall, the most discomfort I had, was when they checked under the kneecap on the back of my leg. For some reason, that was the most painful. I was in a flare when they did all this but it didn't cause me to hurt anymore or less that when I first went in. The only side effect was my muscles all would sporadically spasm for about 30 minutes after the doctor and nurse were done. Good luck with everything.
Posted 1/10/2011 1:34 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Oxygene,

I also had an EMG done at the beginning of my search for a diagnosis.  My first symptom was numbness and tingling down my entire left arm.  The assumption was a pinched nerve but it didn't show up on MRIs so the Dr. decided to send me to a peripheral nerve specialist and I had an EMG.  I think it was pretty painful.  They did my arms, legs and neck and only found spasming in my neck.  I'm not sure if it was the EMG or just the progression of the Fibro but an hour or two after the test I felt horrible and the numbness and tingling spread to my leg.  When we called the Dr. to find out if perhaps the EMG triggered something else she said it wasn't possible and that we'd see what was going on because she had already scheduled me for a brain MRI.  Did your Dr. tell you why they wanted you to have the EMG?  This may help you decide if you think you want to go through with the test.

My father has RSD/CRPS and just had to have an EMG all over his body due to nueropothy and the Drs needing to determine if it was from the RSD/CRPS or something else and he said his was horribly painful and that they found a lot of "sick" nerves.  He was in a lot of pain for a few days after his test.

I think you should make sure you ask lots of questions prior to going to the test if you're concerned.  I kind of thought that everyone who got the Fibro diagnosis had been through an EMG as one of the many tests to rule out other conditions.  Huh, I guess I am just one of the few lucky ones!

Posted 1/10/2011 2:25 PM (GMT 0)
I also had an EMG and don't remember it being too painful. It was done during a whirlwind of different tests. Good luck in what you decide to do!
Posted 1/10/2011 3:06 PM (GMT 0)
I've had one done in my legs. It was a little painful (mine was needle pricks), but it wasn't horrible or intolerable. I had mine to test nerve function after my second back surgery; I still had pain/fatigue in my legs that wouldn't go away. Turns out my leg pain was fibro (found that out later).

I don't remember having a flare afterwards, but I hadn't been diagnosed with fibro yet, so I don't know that I would have made the connection. I, too, usually have a flare after any kind of procedure, so I agree with weighing the risks/benefits of the test.

Good luck with your decision.

Hugs - Austen
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