Electrical Myography (EMG)

Electrical Myography (EMG) measures how fast and how well that nerves can send electrical signals throughout the body. It is often performed when patients complain of unexplained muscle weakness. The diagnostic procedure helps distinguish between muscle weakness due to nerve disorders and muscle conditions in which the problem begins in the muscle.

To conduct the test, a small needle is inserted through the skin into the muscle and the patient is asked to move a bit to contract the muscle being tested. Electrical activity is detected by this needle.

EMG is used to detect abnormal electrical activity of muscle that occurs in diseases and conditions including: pinched nerves, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), muscular dystrophy, muscle inflammation, peripheral nerve damage (damage to nerves in the arms and legs), myasthenia gravis, disc herniation, and others.

Botulinum toxin (Botox)

Botulinum toxin (Botox) is a muscle-relaxing medication used to decrease spasticity related to neurological conditions, including: stroke, brain injury, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, brain or spinal cord tumors, and other disorders of the central nervous system. As a nerve impulse ''blocker,'' Botox attaches to nerve endings and prevents the release of chemical transmitters, which activate muscles. These chemicals carry the ''message'' from the brain that tells a muscle to contract. If the message is blocked, the muscle doesn't spasm.

Botox is injected into the muscle during an outpatient visit. Your health care provider will determine beforehand which muscles need to be injected. Because the Botox does not travel far from the injection site, several injections will be performed during one visit. To ensure that it is injected in the right place, short electrical impulses are sent through the needle used for the injection, to make the muscle contract.