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View Full Version : anyone recognize these EMG/NCS results?


slipnslide
12-19-2007, 12:28 PM
Hi all,

I usually frequent the Spinal Disorders & Chronic Pain forums. I wanted to run my EMG/NCS results past those of you with PN in case someone might recognize my test results as something that they have been through or know of something similar. Any and all thoughts or comments are welcomed.

Summary and Findings:
The bilateral median and ulnar sensory nerves revealed prolonged peak latency, normal amplitude and decreased conduction velocity. The bilateral radial sensory nerves revealed borderline prolonged peak latency, normal amplitude and normal conduction velocity.

The bilateral ulnar motor nerves revealed normal distal latency, normal amplitude and decreased conduction velocity across the cubital tunnel w/ a drop of > 10m/s.

To assess for polyneuropathy third limb sensory and motor nerve were tested (right peroneal motor and sural sensory). These were WNL.

Monopolar needle EMG was performed in selected bilateral upper extremities, innervated by C5-T1 nerve roots inclusive. No spontaneous activity was seen in any muscles tested in the form of fibrillations, positive sharp waves or fasciculations. Voluntary motor unit morphologies are otherwise normal.

Impression: Inconclusive study. There is new evidence of global sensory slowing in the upper extremities, however the slowing is more pronounced for the median and ulnar nerves and more likely related to CTS and potentially Ulnar Neuropathy at the elbows. The lack of slowing in a third limb (RLE) reduces the likelihood of polyneuropathy as a source. There is no evidence for acute cervical radiculopathy on EMG

I've had continued pain in both shoulders, arms and hands, tingling in both hands and feet, and left hip pain (from an iliac crest autograft) since ACDF C5/6/7 Surgery in June 2006. The hip pain was the only thing I didn't have before the surgery.

Thanks,

Kim

HeyJoe
12-19-2007, 05:38 PM
Basically its saying that you probably have nerve impingements in your arm rather than polyneuropathy, which of course wouldnt explain your other symptoms. If you have pn it may not be advanced enough to show up on an emg or may be small fiber neuropathy which doesnt show up on an emg. Do a search for small fiber neuropathy and see if it might fit.

slipnslide
12-19-2007, 11:43 PM
That's where my confusion lies....according to everything I've read, in order for anything to show up on an EMG/NCS, supposedly it's already at a moderate stage by that point. I was given wrist splints for carpal tunnel before seeing the arm/upper extremity surgeon. I wore them to bed as told by the Physiatrist who did the nerve studies, but after a few months of wearing them without any pain relief, I gave up on them. Not long after that, I saw the arm/upper extremity surgeon and he pretty much said that the nerve studies show it as carpal tunnel but rarely do people get bilateral carpal tunnel, let alone bilateral ulnar neuropathy and he sent me on to a Neurologist. I don't expect the tingling in my feet to show up on a nerve study....but even with the EMG/NCS results, nobody can tell me what the diagnosis is or what is causing the study to come back as it did. It would just be nice to know what is causing it so that it can be properly treated instead of me just being medicated to control the pain.:(

HeyJoe
12-20-2007, 11:10 AM
This will give you an idea of the tests that you maybe should be having done.

www.lizajane.org

slipnslide
12-21-2007, 12:16 PM
Thank you. I had seen her charts after the bone marrow biopsy I had done in May 2006. I wanted to compare what I had been tested for already to what I didn't have tested.