emg test

[just me]

Hello again - and thanks to all who take the time to reply.

I had an emg and ncv at the end of February. My neurologist said that all the emg showed was mild carpal tunnel. Ncv was normal.

However...

Since that time, my hands have atrophied noticeably, although I have not noticed any loss of grip strength. I also have continued (but not constant) diffuse twitching (been twitching since January). My joints (everything from toes to shoulders) are cracking and popping. My tongue has sort of shriveled up, though no fasciculations there. I have trouble eating and drinking - I choke and cough when I eat and drink, like it' s going down the wrong pipe. Last, but not least, I have lost muscle tone in my butt - really. At least it is getting smaller!

I still have good reflexes and have not noticed any loss of strength. I can do all the usual tricks - walk on toes, heel-toe (on heels and toes), balance my weight on tip-toe (on one tip-toe, both left and right), hop, skip, jump, whistle, and sing the national anthem, however badly. :-D

I do, however, continue to have continuing, (and worsening) trouble with my cervical spine. It cracks and pops often whenever I breathe, and now, whenever I turn my head. Pain sometimes radiates into my right shoulder, and I sometimes feel a pulling or pinching sensation down to the middle of my spine whenever I move my head.

Could my symptoms be caused by pinched nerves or disk trouble in my neck? Have any of you heard of such a thing?

I am trying to schedule a follow up and MRI with my neuro, but she is fiendishly difficult to pin down (her office staff have called and asked if I could reschedule appointments several times for various reasons - their difficulties, not mine.)

Finally...

I had an MRI scheduled, but as I was sitting in the waiting room, a fire alarm went off and everyone had to evacuate the office. I did not have time to wait for the local fire department to show up to see if the building was actually on fire, and I have not yet been able to reschedule that, either.

Really.

Any replies are most appreciated!

 

[Sammantha]

Hi, this is the only post of yours i have read but if you have carpal tunnel then your NCV would be abnormal........ Problems with your nerves causes the muscle wasting in carpal tunnel syndrome. My very first neuro almost diagnosed me with carpal tunnel when he looked at my hand/wrist he was about to send me on my way with a prescription for a wrist thing. I mentioned that i was being referred to a University Hospital for suspicion of either a immunological disease or neurological... He then ordered the NCV/EMG..... The NCV was normal and he did not go any further as he knew i was going to the University Hospital.

 

[laurel]

Hi,
Perhaps a second opinion would be warranted. My husband had his first EMG and nerve conduction tests in 2002 when he complained to our family doctor of trouble with finger and thumb strength diminishing. Seemingly his tests were normal. Strength and grip diminished further and he returned to the neurologist for another EMG and nerve conduction tests. This time carpal tunnel was diagnosed. He had surgery as the surgeon said he found two areas of nerve impingement --one just below the elbow and the other in the wrist area. Six months later, visable wasting and atrophy were occuring. Husband returned to the surgeon. Surgeon said that it takes time for the nerve pathways to re-grow. Hubby waited 2 years and now we are into 2006, and he had very bad muscle wasting and atrophy and could no longer hold his coffee cup or use utensils. We went for a seoond opinion at a specialist referral clinic. Within 5 minutes, the doctor said you have never had carpal tunnel syndrome. You have some sort of progressive muscle atrophy and referred him back to the original neurologist. The bozo neurologist just tested the one limb that was atrophied and said that he wasn't sure what the problem was. He referred him to a neuromuscular disorder neurologist who tested all four limbs and found weakness and axonal degeneration in all limbs. He had a query of ALS, but in the end he was diagnosed with CIDP MADSAM variant. While waiting for his first treatment of IVIG, he developed foot drop in one foot. He had fasciculations in his atrophied arm, and he had general weakness and malaise. He has responded very well to IVIG, but has a wasted lower arm and hand due to being misdiagnosed back in 2002. We regret not getting a second opinion long ago. And definitely you need MRI's of the head, neck, and spine --probably best done with contrast dye. Hubby did have MRI's eventually and all were negative. He had a lumbar puncture which showed elevated protein. Good luck.
Laurel