Arm EMG nerve test ยท St. Louis
An EMG nerve test of the arm shows which nerve is pinched before anyone picks a level to inject.
An arm EMG, done alongside a nerve conduction study (NCS), shows whether a nerve is being pinched or has been hurt at the wrist, the elbow or up in the neck, and grades the damage. The physician who performs it also interprets it. At painstl.com it helps aim treatment at the right spot.
This test happens only on a physician’s order. It runs only while a physician is on site and immediately available.
How does the test work?
Two tests done together. The nerve conduction study measures how fast and how strongly signals travel along the arm nerves. The EMG uses a fine needle to listen to a few muscles. A physician performs both and writes the report.
Why would your physician order it?
Arm numbness, tingling or weakness may begin at a neck nerve root, at the elbow or at the wrist, and an MRI cannot always tell them apart. This test separates them. That matters before a cervical epidural, because the injection only helps if the problem is at the root it targets. More on cervical radiculopathy.
What will you feel?
The first part sends brief electrical pulses through pads on the skin; each one feels like a quick snap. The second part places a very fine needle in a handful of muscles, which pinches for a moment. Normal activity resumes right afterward for most people.
Getting ready for test day
Pick a shirt with roomy sleeves, and leave your arms free of lotion.
Tell us before the test about
- Any blood thinner you take
- A pacemaker or other implant
- Skin trouble or swelling in that arm
How much time to plan for
Plan on about 30 to 60 minutes each time.
What to remember
- Result: which nerve, and how hurt.
- No lotion on your arms on test day.
- Mention any blood thinner or pacemaker beforehand.
Last step. Show us you have it: Explain to your technician your routine for the morning of the test. Unsure about any step? We run through it with you again next time.
Related reading
- The painstl.com physiotherapy program, every station and test
- Cervical radiculopathy
- Epidural steroid injection
- Nerve test of the leg (EMG/NCS), another test
- CMAT (CardioMetabolic Assessment Test), another test
- Cognivue, another test
- Kinetisense, another test
- RQ (resting metabolic rate), another test
- VNG (balance and dizziness test), another test
Ask whether this belongs in your plan
A physician reviews your history and your procedures first, then writes the orders. Nothing is added without a reason in your chart.
4479 Woodson Rd, Suite 401
St. Louis, MO 63134
Next to St. Louis Lambert International Airport, off I-70 at Woodson Road.