Nerve Conduction and Electromyography (NCT/EMG)

NCT/EMG is a diagnostic procedure used to measure the speed and strength of signals traveling between two or more points along a nerve. EMG is used to asses the integrity of muscles and the nerve cell that control them. NCT/EMG is useful when diagnosing nerve dysfunction, muscle dysfunction or problems with nerve to muscle transmission.

Common indications for NCT/EMG are:

  • Tingling
  • Numbness
  • Muscle weakness
  • Muscle pain or cramping
  • Peripheral Neuropathy
  • Radiculopathy
  • Certain types of limb pain

EMG results are often necessary to help diagnose or rule out a number of conditions such as:

  • Muscle disorders, such as muscular dystrophy or polymyositis
  • Diseases affecting the connection between the nerve and the muscle, such as myasthenia gravis
  • Disorders of nerves outside the spinal cord (peripheral nerves), such as carpal tunnel syndrome or peripheral neuropathies
  • Disorders that affect the motor neurons in the brain or spinal cord, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or polio
  • Disorders that affect the nerve root, such as a herniated disk in the spine