Was EMG performed correctly?

[Silvermaple]

As a follow up to my previous thread that was closed, I had a clean EMG on Friday. The NCV did end up showing that I have moderate carpal tunnel in my right wrist and mild carpal tunnel in my left wrist. My neurologist also thinks that my hands are just naturally the way they are, he said it's not atrophy.

So I read online after my EMG that you are supposed to contract the muscle when the needle is in it but I wasn't told to do that. I didn't move at all. It was done completely at rest. He did several spots on both of my legs, my right arm, my hip, the top of my spine and my thenar muscle in my right hand. Was it done correctly if I didn't flex/contract my muscles?

And I also don't have bulbar symptoms really, sometimes my mouth feels dry and it seems harder to talk and one side of my tongue seems like it goes in on one side making my tongue look smaller on that side. And sometimes I bite my tongue when talking. Should I be concerned about bulbar onset? He did not emg that area, he didn't feel that I needed it.

 

[Nikki J]

Since the things that really count (like fibs and psws) for an ALS diagnosis are seen at rest then your emg excluded ALS. Congratulations

No don’t worry about bulbar onset you are not describing it.

You are good to go. Enjoy your family

 

[Silvermaple]

That would make sense that the neurologist did it that way then. At my first appointment I told him I was concerned about als and he said although he didn't think I had it he would perform the emg as if that was the suspected diagnosis in order to rule it out.

 

[Silvermaple]

The more I think about it the more this bothers me. I'm not sure that I should trust my neurologist. I've never heard of anyone having an emg where they weren't asked to contract their muscles. He said I don't have ALS and it's not on the table but I'm still worried that I have it.

Another thing that bothered me was that he said fasiculations are small movements that feel like bugs crawling and not the type of twitching that I have. I said I thought that's what I had and he said we must be talking about different things then. I'm so scared.

 

[Bestfriends14]

My husband was never asked to contract his muscles during his EMG. Honestly, I am not sure where you get your information but it is so misguided. Enough now, you don"t have ALS. A rationally thinking person would be overjoyed to hear this news. You, on the other hand, are still chasing it, desperate to get that diagnosis. Don't you find that unsettling?

It might be time for you to move along and potentially look at some counselling as to why you want this disease so badly. So much so, that you think you are smarter than your neurologist and the forum members here and keep coming back with arguments as to why you think you have this disease.

Good luck to you. I hope you can find happiness and relish in the fact that you have a beautiful new little one. Your focus should be there. Not on a disease you definitely do not have.

 

[ShiftKicker]

Silvermaple,

Your last thread was closed because it had run on too long and you made it very clear you were not able to gain reassurance from the many replies you received from knowledgeable people as well as from the specialists you had seen. This forum is here to support those who have been diagnosed with ALS and those who care for folks with ALS. It really is not set up to also provide emotional support for those who are focused on ALS, but do not have it.

I will refer you back to the last post on your other thread https://www.alsforums.com/forum/do-i-have-als-als/43081-absolutely-devastated.html#post452605 and will be closing this thread also. Please speak to your doctor about your concerns and take their advice for how to achieve relief from your symptoms and anxiety about ALS.