EMG specifity

[Jamesjeffs]

Hi - 18 months ago I had an EMG in my calves - both of which were twitching and noted as such By the Neuro who did the EMG, with no other abnormalities.
18 months on - I have more widespread twitching and muscle pain, and some drooling, and a stiffness of muscles that almost makes me feel like I’m going to “snap” into a foetal position.
I visited my GP/PCP who said we should “observe the situation” before considering another Neuro referral.
My question is around the EMG: I thought that 1 EMG would be fine and that if this found no abnormaly then I would be “clear”.
Yet I recently read, in a medical journal, that the EMG specifity is only circa 60%. This has me worried and I’d like to sound folks here out on whether I should push for another.

 

[Atsugi]

It's known that the EMG is not flawless, but there are other considerations. Twitching is such a common symptom of so many things--usually stress--that it is not helpful at all for diagnosing. Muscle pain would point AWAY from new onset ALS, as well as stiffness. Drooling just means, well, anything.

Since your PCP is waiting instead of going straight to re-do the EMG, then perhaps your PCP is thinking that whatever you have is NOT neurological, so not ALS.

 

[Jamesjeffs]

thanks Mike, that's pretty much along the lines of what I was thinking. I guess i was just surprised to read that the EMG could be so inaccurate, when it's described as a "gold standard" by some people.
18 months ago, at the same times as the EMG, i also had some sort of test where a magnetic shock was applied to the top of my skull and the time taken/size of signal going to parts of my body was measured, i think this was an "evoked potential" - again this was normal but i'm not sure if it was a specific test for ALS or other illness. Good that it was normal - whatever it was - i suppose.

 

[ShiftKicker]

Mod note: closed. Multi id