How Painful is a Needle EMG exam? It depends on…
This blog post is intended for anyone who has been recommended to have a needle EMG exam that ispart of a “nerve test”. The information contained can also be helpful for health care professionals whorecommend their patients to have an electrodiagnostic examination. I have been performing needle electromyography (EMG) exams for over 20 years. I […]
Comparing Electrodiagnostics (EMG/NCS) to Magnetic Resonance Imaging for the Evaluation of Lumbosacral Radiculopathy
Low back pain and lumbar radiculopathy are common conditions affecting the general population. Low back pain has a prevalence of 10%-30%, and lumbar radiculopathy, with a prevalence of 3%-5% [1]. Differentiating between low back pain and lumbar radiculopathy can be tricky as low back pain is often used to describe a variety of conditions from […]
Can an EMG/NCS help diagnose the cause of weakness following a stroke?
Strokes are relatively common, affecting millions of people each year. In the UnitedStates, for instance, about 795,000 people have a stroke annually, making it the fifthleading cause of death. A stroke occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain isinterrupted or reduced, preventing brain tissue from getting oxygen and nutrients. Thiscan lead to […]
Using EMG/NCS to Test for Ulnar Nerve vs. Cervical Radiculopathy
When starting the initial evaluation, you mention to the clinician performing the nervetest that you are experiencing numbness of the ring and pinky finger. The clinician willask additional questions as they formulate a list of differential diagnoses or the mostlikely causes for your issue. This will help them determine the things they need to givespecial […]
Diabetic Neuropathy
Diabetic peripheral neuropathy encompasses various neurogenic disorders resulting from diabetesmellitus type 1 and type 2. This condition can be classified into distal symmetric polyneuropathy (DSPN),diabetic autonomic neuropathy, superimposed mononeuropathies, and though rare polyradiculopathy 1 .The incidence of diabetic neuropathy in individuals with diabetes mellitus can reach 50–66% over theirlifetime 3 . Half of diabetic neuropathy […]
RESIDENT SPOTLIGHT — Addison Davis PT, DPT
I graduated from South College with my DPT. My path to becoming a PT was quite a windy road. I began undergrad thinking I wanted to be an en- gineer to make prosthetics. At the same time, I was in a band that was doing well so I did the only logical thing a 19-year-old […]
Traumatic Neuroma
Traumatic Neuroma- nerve damages from outside the common compression neuropathy. Introduction We encounter various neuropathic symptoms and pain every day. Patient reports of neuropathic pain can differ in descriptions, characteristics, and patterns. It is crucial for healthcare providers, especially those working in diagnostics, to understand which pathological presentations necessitate more direct interventions, such as surgery […]
Dr. Perkins Earns ABPTS Board Certification in Clinical Electrophysiology
EMG Solutions is pleased to announce that Dr. Drayton Perkins, physical therapist, has successfully earned his Board Certification as an Electrophysiologic Clinical Specialist. Dr. Perkins successfully completed the EMG Solutions’ Clinical Electrophysiology Residency in January 2024 to become board eligible. After successfully completing all didactic and clinical requirements and passing his boards exam, Dr. Perkins […]
Dr. Thorderson Earns ABPTS Board Certification in Clinical Electrophysiology
EMG Solutions is pleased to announce that Dr. Jedd Thorderson, physical therapist, has successfully earned his Board Certification as an Electrophysiologic Clinical Specialist. Dr. Thorderson successfully completed the EMG Solutions’ Clinical Electrophysiology Residency in January 2024 to become board eligible. After successfully completing all didactic and clinical requirements and passing his boards exam, Dr. Thorderson […]
Life is a Highway…and so are our nerves
One of the benefits of being a physical therapist (and electromyographer) is the opportunity to spend longer periods of time with our patients, which gives us the chance to ask more questions to try and understand a patient’s symptoms, possible injuries or underlying conditions, to allow us to develop a differential diagnosis of what we […]
