You will be asked to contract or relax your muscles throughout the procedure. Some of the conditions an EMG and nerve conduction studies can show include:Īn EMG detects damage to your nervous system by inserting a thin electrode needle into your muscle while monitoring electrical activity and proceeding with results on an oscilloscope (monitor). In contrast, nerve conduction studies simply tape or paste stimulating electrodes to your muscles and send a mild electrical pulse throughout your body. An EMG test will require inserting a needle electrode into your muscle. How Painful is an EMG Nerve Conduction Study?īesides some minor pain, cramping, and even a tingling sensation, EMG and nerve conduction studies are minimally invasive. Those who need an EMG and nerve conduction tests are experiencing symptoms that may include muscle weakness, tingling or numbness, cramps, spasms, twitching, and even muscle paralysis. Both tests provide a broad picture of your body’s electrical traffic and whether any disruptors indicate a condition or disorder causing your pain.

While an EMG test focuses on the electrical activity in your muscles, a nerve conduction study measures the speed and strength of electrical signals in your nerves. How painful is an EMG nerve conduction study?.As you might anticipate, doctors can identify disruptions in these signals that may cause nerve or muscular pain and discomfort. As electrical currents can be measured in areas like our homes, we can also measure electrical activity in our muscles and nerves.Įlectromyography (EMG) and nerve conduction studies measure the electrical signals sent through our nerves and muscles. Our nervous system uses electrical signals to communicate with muscles throughout our body.

How painful is a emg test