Your healthcare provider will tell you what medicines to take or not take on the day of your test. You may need to stop taking blood thinners, NSAIDs, and aspirin 24 hours before the test.
Do not have caffeine or smoke for 2
to 3 hours before the test. Do not apply lotions or creams to your skin on the day of the test.
Can I take ibuprofen before an EMG?
Immediate recall of pain was significantly decreased by ibuprofen, but memory of pain and residual needle site pain a day after EMG were not decreased. We conclude that ibuprofen is effective in reducing EMG pain as perceived immediately after the procedure.
Premedication with ibuprofen before EMG is useful
.
Can I take a pain pill before an EMG?
Do not take any Excedrin
(which contains Aspirin), over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications (such as Advil, Aleve, Aspirin, etc.), or prescription NSAID’s (naproxen, motrin, etc.) for at least 5 days prior to the procedure.
What should you avoid before an EMG test?
Do not eat or drink foods that contain caffeine
(such as coffee, tea, cola, and chocolate) for 2 to 3 hours before the test. Wear loose-fitting clothing so your muscles and nerves can be tested. You may be given a hospital gown to wear. Take a shower or bath before your exam to remove oils from your skin.
What medications can affect an EMG?
Certain drugs that act on the nervous system (such as
muscle relaxants
) can interfere with electromyography results. You may need to stop taking these three to six days before the test. Have had bleeding problems or are taking blood thinning drugs, such as warfarin (Coumadin®) or heparin.
Why was my EMG so painful?
Pain is commonly associated with EMG,
because the procedure involves the use of needles and electric shock
. Not only friends and relatives who have had a previous EMG experience, but also physicians can sometimes discourage patients from undergoing EMG, believing that the test is very painful and of little benefit (1).
Can I drive home after EMG?
You may need to stay in the outpatient facility or hospital for a short period after your EMG. Your team will apply warm compresses to your injection sites to reduce pain.
You will not be able to drive for about 24 hours if you had sedation
because you will still be drowsy.
Can an EMG test make things worse?
Muscle pain
from an EMG test gets worse or you have swelling, tenderness, or pus at any of the needle sites.
How long does it take to get EMG results?
EMG testing usually takes anywhere from
30 to 90 minutes
, depending on the condition being tested and findings of the study. A report that includes the results and an interpretation will be sent to your doctor.
What diseases can EMG diagnose?
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
- Carpal tunnel syndrome.
- Cervical spondylosis.
- Guillain-Barre syndrome.
- Lambert-Eaton syndrome.
- Muscular dystrophy.
- Myasthenia gravis.
Will an EMG show a pinched nerve?
EMG and NCS are tests that measure the electrical activity of the muscles and nerves of the body, usually to an arm or a leg. The tests can help identify nerve injury or muscle disease such as carpal tunnel syndrome, a pinched spinal nerve, peripheral neuropathy, myositis, or ALS.
What does an abnormal EMG sound like?
The sound of positive sharp waves have been described as, like ‘
claps of distant thunder
‘, and fibrillation potentials a higher pitched and shorter duration sound, like ‘rain on a tin roof’.
How bad does an EMG hurt?
There is some discomfort at the time the needle electrodes are inserted. They feel like shots (intramuscular injections), although nothing is injected during an EMG. Afterwards, the muscle may feel a
little sore for up to a few days
.
How long does pain last after EMG?
After the EMG is complete, you may experience some muscle soreness at the insertion point(s). This is normal and generally lasts
1-2 days
.
What size needle is used for EMG?
Some muscles, such as the deep paraspinal muscles, may be difficult to reach without a long needle, even in average-sized patients. Needles
of up to 120 mm length
should be available and should be used in such circumstances.
What are the signs of nerve damage?
- Numbness or tingling in the hands and feet.
- Feeling like you’re wearing a tight glove or sock.
- Muscle weakness, especially in your arms or legs.
- Regularly dropping objects that you’re holding.
- Sharp pains in your hands, arms, legs, or feet.
- A buzzing sensation that feels like a mild electrical shock.
