This is freaky....

[ama672]

The wait is just killing me right now and I can't concentrate on anything else. I had a dirty EMG on Tuesday (forearm and triceps showed abnormalities while hand and biceps were completely normal) in my left arm. The nuero suspects that I have a pinch nerve. However, I'm also experiencing twitching, stiffness and since yesterday, I'm also experiencing weakness in my right arm (triceps are weaker).

How likely is it that I have a pinch nerve with a dirty EMG that is now causing weakness in both arms?

By the way, I had an MRI of the C-spine which showed a bulging disk in C4-C5 and C6-C7 region. But I don't have any sensory symptoms (no pain or numbness) so I doubt that this could cause the weakness.

 

[BethU]

Ama ... The fact that you started experiencing weakness elsewhere immediately after your EMG suggests to me that it may be related to stress or some other cause, but it doesn't point to ALS onset. Neither do twitching and stiffness.

I know the wait is scary and our imaginations can run away with us, but if you only noticed the weakness yestersday ... and you think it's ALS ... ALS simply does not move that fast. It is a "glacial" type disease ... Having a "symptom" for one day only is a MIGHTY BIG leap of the imagination to ALS. Especially when your neuro has already given you another diagnosed. It can easily take a year or two to diagnosed ALS. because it moves that slowly and there are so many other possibilities to rule out.

I'd be turning cartwheels if my neuro gave me a solid, alternate diagnosed. You need to concentrate on something else ... anything. Use some mental discipline, get rational about all this, get off the Internet, go to a good movie (or a lousy one) and relax. It sounds like your neuro knows what he/she's doing and you are in good hands.