I feel theres a reason why the people here are saying that a clean emg will rule out als if caused by LMN , both you & I have (Footdrop/lmn ). They have no reason to lie & Im glad I came here because I would be STILL driving myself crazy thinking that I may have als.
From one of the sticky threads in this very forum:
https://www.alsforums.com/forum/do-...ic-lateral-sclerosis-diagnosis.html#post68793
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Clinically Definite ALS
is defined on clinical evidence alone by the presence of UMN,
as well as LMN signs, in three regions.
Clinically Probable ALS
is defined on clinical evidence alone by
UMN and LMN signs in at least two regions with some UMN signs necessarily rostral to (above) the LMN signs.
The terms Clinically Probable ALS - Laboratory-supported and Clinically Possible ALS are used to describe these categories of clinical certainty on clinical and criteria or only clinical criteria:
Clinically Probable - Laboratory-upported ALS
is defined when clinical signs of
UMN and LMN dysfunction are in only one region, or when UMN signs alone are present in one region,
and LMN signs defined by EMG criteria are present in at least two limbs, with proper application of neuroimaging and clinical laboratory protocols to exclude other causes.
Clinically Possible ALS
is defined when clinical signs of UMN
and LMN dysfunction are found together in only one region or UMN signs are found alone in two or more regions; or
LMN signs are found rostral to UMN signs and the diagnosis of Clinically Probable - Laboratory-supported ALS cannot be proven by evidence on clinical grounds in conjunction with electrodiagnostic, neurophysiologic, neuroimaging or clinical laboratory studies. Other diagnoses must have been excluded to accept a diagnosis of Clinically possible ALS.
Clinically Suspected ALS
it is
a pure LMN syndrome, wherein the diagnosis of ALS could not be regarded as sufficiently certain to include the patient in a research study. Hence, this category is deleted from the revised El Escorial Criteria for the Diagnosis of ALS.
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Please note that lower motor neuron damage symptoms
are required to be present before a diagnosis of even suspected ALS can be given. You cannot have ALS without both UMN and LMN symptoms any more than you can have Type 2 adult onset diabetes without having high blood glucose levels. It really is that simple.
The type of lower motor neuron damage that is characteristic of ALS shows up on an EMG.
1) If that type of damage shows up on your EMG, your doctor will not say that your EMG is normal.
2) If your doctor says your EMG is normal, then you do not have that type of LMN damage.
3) If you don't have that type of LMN damage, you don't have ALS.
Really, folks, what is so difficult to understand?
That's some solid life advice right there! I wish more people would listen to it...
