
Abnormal levels and duration of electrical discharges when a muscle contracts also suggest the presence of a muscle or nerve disorder, such as ALS, post-polio syndrome or a herniated disc.Īn EMG usually takes 30 to 60 minutes. This kind of activity can also be caused by inflammation or disease in the muscle. If the EMG shows electrical activity in a resting muscle, there may be a problem with the nerve supply to the muscle. The recording should show no electrical activity when the muscle is at rest. It may also be heard on a loudspeaker as machine gun-like popping sounds when you contract the muscle. The electrical activity in the muscle shows as wavy and spiky lines on a special video monitor. The needle may be moved several times to record the electrical activity in different areas of the muscle or in different muscles.

Then the technologist or doctor asks you to tense the muscle with gradually increasing force while the electrical activity in the muscle is recorded. Once the electrodes are in place, the electrical activity in that muscle is recorded while the muscle is at rest. The electrode is attached by wires to a recording machine. You will feel a brief, sharp pain when a needle electrode is inserted into the muscle. An electrode that combines a reference point and a needle for recording is inserted into the muscle. Typically, the skin over the area being tested will be cleaned with an antiseptic. You will be asked to lie on a table or sit in a reclining chair so that the muscles being tested are relaxed and easy to reach. You may be given a hospital gown to wear. Wear loose-fitting clothing that permits access to the muscles and nerves to be tested.


Diagnose diseases that damage muscle tissue, nerves or the points where nerve and muscle join.Nerve conduction studies measure how well individual nerves transmit electrical signals to the muscles. Electromyography is usually done with nerve conduction studies. Electromyography measures the electrical impulses of the muscles at rest and when contracted.
