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