Nerve Conduction Study/EMG

[newarrior]

Dear Folks,

Long time (14 years) TMS Sarno student; how is everyone ?).

3 months ago I had a massage..Since then pain, stiffness, rotated fingers 2 far rght, tingling, weakness and trouble doing fine motor movements with my right hand...No broken bone but suspected nerve and muscle damage.

Did months of PT

I've heard the tests can be extremely painful.

New doctor suggested Nerve Conduction Study/EMG--concerned about cost, usefulness validity, pain and accuracy.

I've also heard that the tests are very painful.

Live in Bangkok full time; no insurance, no primary care physician, pay as you go.

Thoughts ? Recos ? Thanks Dave in thailand

 

[DWA]

Dear Folks,

Long time (14 years) TMS Sarno student; how is everyone ?).

3 months ago I had a massage..Since then pain, stiffness, rotated fingers 2 far rght, tingling, weakness and trouble doing fine motor movements with my right hand...No broken bone but suspected nerve and muscle damage.

Did months of PT

I've heard the tests can be extremely painful.

New doctor suggested Nerve Conduction Study/EMG--concerned about cost, usefulness validity, pain and accuracy.

I've also heard that the tests are very painful.

Live in Bangkok full time; no insurance, no primary care physician, pay as you go.

Thoughts ? Recos ? Thanks Dave in thailand

I've had 3 EMG's over the last 4 years. All were deemed "abnormal". My Neurologist tells me there are incredibly accurate, and my TMS doctor says they are subjective and not worth pursuing. They are not painful in the least bit. I have insurance, so mine did not cost me anything. My diagnosis is peripheral neuropathy, and for that there is no treatment or cure, so it seems rather pointless to perform them. My doctor uses it as a benchmark to track progression of the disease. But still not treatment, whether is gets worse or not. I think I would skip it if I were you...

 

[newarrior]

ok..thx

 

[newarrior]

I've had 3 EMG's over the last 4 years. All were deemed "abnormal". My Neurologist tells me there are incredibly accurate, and my TMS doctor says they are subjective and not worth pursuing. They are not painful in the least bit. I have insurance, so mine did not cost me anything. My diagnosis is peripheral neuropathy, and for that there is no treatment or cure, so it seems rather pointless to perform them. My doctor uses it as a benchmark to track progression of the disease. But still not treatment, whether is gets worse or not. I think I would skip it if I were you...

Mine is different--potential damage to the Ulnar nerve from a massage causing issues with my ring and end fingers and my hand--possible nerve damage--I live in Asia, the tests are around $500 I have no insurance

 

[Jimnat7]

For some reason it is really hard to get over abnormal emg results. A dr tells you its neuropathy, that emgs are accurate, and there isnt much he can do for you. I have been working on getting the emgs results out of my mind for 3 years. I do notice the less i ficus on symptoms the better I do.

 

[Andy Bayliss]

newwarrier,

It seems that you're not sure whether to spend the money, if you have it to begin with. So the question is "what good is the test?," in your mind, correct?

In terms of TMS work, the test may mean something, or not, as you know. The main benefit is that if it comes up negative, you've got support for your TMS approach; you can believe and work toward reduction/elimination of symptoms.

What if it comes up positive? I think an important question to ask a physician, perhaps before the test is "if I have nerve damage, what is the treatment?" I suppose you've thought of this too. In my limited experience treatment might be surgery. Can you afford this? Do these surgeries do any good?

If you do have nerve damage, and you treat it as TMS, what is the risk?

What is the risk of "doing nothing?" I think Dr. Schubiner's recommendation that "If there is nothing serious/threatening, can I use a non-invasive approach for 6 months?" is a good question to ask yourself and/or a physician.

I was told my nerve in my foot would die. This was not true. But I had to fully embrace a TMS approach after two tests showed problems (these two, to be fair, were controversial --the Dellon's Sensitivity tests). My conduction test was "low normal" I recall.

I am not giving you any advice here, just hoping to lay out some factors in black and white, for you to consider.

Obviously the best approach would be to see a TMS physician, or get the tests and correspond long distance with one, if possible.

Wishing you the best in your decisions, hopefulness and recovery.

Andy B

 

[newarrior]

For some reason it is really hard to get over abnormal emg results. A dr tells you its neuropathy, that emgs are accurate, and there isnt much he can do for you. I have been working on getting the emgs results out of my mind for 3 years. I do notice the less i ficus on symptoms the better I do.

What is neuropathy ? What caused your issues ? What can they do to fix you ? What is the outcome ? What difficulties do you have ? What do you to recover ? How does TMS help ?

 

[Jimnat7]

Neuropathy - is nerve damage
My alleged neuropathy is idiopathic (no cause could be found
They offered nothing to fix it other than maybe steroids
Currently have numbness, twitches and pain in both feet, hands occasionally.
Ive had tms symptoms before, have the personality type and current stressors.
80 percent sure this is tms 20 percent sure its neuropathy
It will go away some day

 

[newarrior]

Neuropathy - is nerve damage
My alleged neuropathy is idiopathic (no cause could be found
They offered nothing to fix it other than maybe steroids
Currently have numbness, twitches and pain in both feet, hands occasionally.
Ive had tms symptoms before, have the personality type and current stressors.
80 percent sure this is tms 20 percent sure its neuropathy
It will go away some day

Mine is different..From a massage//so may be real vs TMS..sadly

 

[Jimnat7]

Maybe its a combo of initial injury then tms taking over. Went to see sarno in the 80’s and got over back pain. Since then I have had a number of tms equivalents. I always think its a “real” injury and maybe , it is in the beginning but then tms takes over and it lasts too long and stays until I identify it as tms. Good luck