Question about atrophy and EMG

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CB1977

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Hello All-

I have a quick and simple question about atrophy as it relates to an EMG.

Can you have atrophy and have a clean EMG on the same spot at the same time?

If Yes- Then I am assuming that the clean EMG would simply prove that the atrophy is caused my something musclular, not neurological or neuromusclular?

Has anyone ever run into this dilemma and if so, what was the outcome?

Thanks for any input!

CB1977
 
Atrophy of a muscle is typically caused by either denervation (which would show up on an EMG) or some type of myopathy (which would show up on an EMG) or disuse (which would not show up on an EMG). Sometimes if a condition is not progressive, a neuro will pronounce an EMG clean, even though there is evidence of a past problem.

Denervating conditions and myopathic conditions will give very different results on an EMG, so it's fairly easy to decipher between the two. Do you have the actual results of your EMG?
 
I will have the written results tomorrow, I had to have them mailed to me. The only thing they found abnormal were faciculations. Nothing else abnormal so they deemed the EMG as normal and clean. This was done by Cleveland Clinic so I certainly trust that they did a great job. My issue is my right leg is shrinking and is currently visually smaller than my left as well as almost 2 inches when measured. They did an EMG on this spot and it was normal. I have some issues such as my leg buckeling every now and then and it also gets tired and sore. I was under the impression that -

A.) by the time you see atrophy you whould have profound weakness (which I dont).
B.) If you do have atrophy that is visual then it would show on an EMG.

So I am guessing that what I see and feel cant possibly be atrophy or it would have shown on the EMG or the atrophy has to be from disues. If this is the case, can that type of atrophy be asymetrical?

Hope all is well Wright, thanks for your response and input!

CB1977
 
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