Conditions that affect your nerves can cause symptoms that you may not pay much attention to at first. For example, if you notice your feet have the sensation of pins and needles, you may just assume you sat wrong.
At Apex Medical Center, our care providers are skilled in diagnosing issues even if the symptoms are vague or confusing for you. We discuss your symptoms and your medical history and use a number of different tests to reach a diagnosis. When we suspect you may have a problem with your nerves, we may ask you to have nerve testing.
In this post, we describe what nerve testing is, as well as neuropathy and radiculopathy, two of the more common conditions it’s used to diagnose.
Nerve testing includes both nerve conduction studies and electromyography (EMG). The information from these two tests helps your doctor understand exactly what’s happening in your nervous system to cause the symptoms you're experiencing.
This diagnostic tool measures the speed of the electrical signals traveling along your nerves. We place small electrodes on your skin and send mild electrical currents through them to carefully target nerves.
EMG uses thin needles that are electrodes to record the electrical activity in your muscles. If you need both a nerve conduction study and an EMG, both tests will be done at the same appointment.
The most common type of neuropathy is peripheral neuropathy, which affects the nerves in your arms, hands, legs, and feet. Type 2 diabetes can damage your nerves and cause neuropathy. In fact, the vast majority of cases of peripheral neuropathy are associated with type 2 diabetes.
Symptoms of neuropathy include tingling, numbness, and muscle weakness. Nerve testing can help pinpoint the source of the problem.
Radiculopathy is caused by a compressed nerve in your spine. The most common areas you’re likely to feel symptoms are your lower back, lumbar spine, neck, or cervical spine.
The symptoms include pain, numbness, and tingling in your arms or legs, potentially along with pain in your back or neck.
Getting an accurate diagnosis of the underlying cause of your symptoms is crucial for appropriate and effective treatment. Treatment for both neuropathy and radiculopathy is available, but the best one for you depends on several factors.
Nerve testing can help your doctor diagnose your problem and understand the extent of the nerve damage, which can be useful in creating a treatment plan.
If you have questions about what to expect during and after your nerve testing, make an appointment at any of the three locations of Apex Medical Center. We’re always happy to see you and to answer your questions.
