EMG Questions

[Healthy1]

Hello,
I recently joined this forum and have EMG questions.
I had an EMG last week. It was performed on my left leg and arm. . It included the tricep, foream, and the muscle between thum and forefinger as well as tjhe qaud, shin and calf.

The reason for the EMG was due to muscle wasting and coordication issues and fasciics.

The EMG was normal.

1. Would the emg pick up problems in other areas of my left side not tested. For example, if there was wasting, fascicis in my left bicep, would it have been noticed by the emg on the tricep?

2. The reason it was perfomed on the left side is that I feel that I have wasting in the thumb in the muscle between the thunb and forewinger. The Doc stuck the needle directly into that area and there was not problem. The emg would have noted the atrophy, correct?

3. I also feel my tricep has wasted a bit. Even thoguh the needle did not go direclty into the exact head of the tricep that is of concern, would the emg have picked it up?

4. Would being clean on the left also reflect being clean on the right side of my body?

5. The doctor used little needles. Almost like acupuncture needles rather than larger ones. Is this typical. These are disposable rather than the ones that are cleaned and used over and over.

Thank you for any and all input regarding these emg questions.

[CathyP]

IF my EMG had been normal and I had been told I did NOT have ALS (I read your previous post) I would NOT be on this forum asking specific medical questions from people that do indeed have ALS but are not specifically trained as an ALS specialist. You seem to WANT one of us to tell you that you do indeed HAVE ALS. Why anyone in their right mind would want to be told this is beyond me AND why would you believe someone on the internet? Even if you do have/or end up having ALS at a later date there is NOTHING you can do about it at this time in the medical world because there is NO CURE as far as I know. Wright is one person on here that is a doctor I believe. Please message him and ask him all your medical questions. Although that is probably pointless because you won't believe what he would say either. IF you could get a referral to your local ALS clinic and they told you that you do NOT have ALS would you believe them? Sorry if I am being to candid and to the point. NONE of us here that have ALS want to be here. I/we (I THINK I am speaking for most of us in this exclusive ALS club) would be THRILLED to NOT have ALS and the clubhouse be empty! PLEASE get ALS off your mind and go back to your NORMAL routine!

[Ms. Pie]

Did your Neuro notice any muscle wasting?

[Healthy1]

Hi there,
Thank you for your reply.
On the latest neuro report, it indicated normal tone and bulk. This report was dated july 4, 2012. I am simply very concerned that slighjtly more dexterity concerns have presented in the last week or so since the exam. Is this possible given the clean emg and neuro exams?
I appreciate your time. I certainly do not want to have als, I simply am scared that I might.
Thank you again.

[panguinjen]

Healthy1,

You have started two threads with both results being you do NOT have ALS. Time and time again, people on this forum have taken their time explaining why your perceived symptoms are not ALS. Please listen and hear that you need to go live your life and step away from the in ter net. Go and see someone in mental health about your health anxiety.

Jen

[Ms. Pie]

Your doctor said you don't have wasting or ALS. Why do you doubt your doctor? Be happy! Trust your doctor.

[sadiemae]

Read this thread
BFS or ALS?? A must read if you twitch!!

Pay attention: The EMG is always positive in ALS" That's about as plainly as you can put it! ALS twitches are CAUSED by dying nerve endings AND dying muscle tissue. It is a SECONDARY action to the disease! Not a first symptom that causes muscles to die later-on. If you have twitches and it was caused by ALS, you would ALREADY have the disease present in your system which would show-up on an EMG. Twitches without weakness and with a clean EMG are NOT ALS. It can't get any clearer than that!
ALS is a nerve PATHWAY disease so if you have twitching and weakness BECAUSE of ALS in something like your little toe, and you get an EMG ANYWHERE BETWEEN that toe and your brain, it WILL show-up on the EMG because it is looking at the PATHWAYS BETWEEN that toe and your brain. ALS is also a body wide disease BEFORE it spreads to NOTICABLE symptoms. It is there long before 99% of the sufferer's even notice it, (contrary to what a lot of rookies will tell you). The twitching in ALS means it has already been there a while, has DONE damage and now the muscles are reacting by quivering. It is the whole enchilada that has to be looked at with CLINICAL weakness and a bad EMG. Without ALL of those symptoms (and then some), you have ALS about as much as someone with a common headache has a brain tumor

[glupavomomiche]

Congrats! You don't have ALS, you lucky dog, you!