Do you ever have clients who complain of experiencing “radiating pain” or “numbness and tingling” even after they’ve been given an MRI and had multiple therapy appointments? If the answer is “yes” we could have an explanation and a solution.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) – what it can’t do
MRI’s are an amazing tool but the way they work is very different from other imaging modalities. Patients are placed in a large, confining, noisy magnetic tube and then bombarded with radio waves to generate images of the organs in a body, specifically the soft tissues that don’t respond to x-rays.
“Hydrogen atoms are naturally abundant in humans and other biological organisms, particularly in water and fat. For this reason, most MRI scans essentially map the location of water and fat in the body.” – Wikipedia
They work well in the brain because it contains water and fat, it’s nearly 60% fat! For determining brain diseases they are the best choice but when it comes to actual nerves it’s a different story.
It can detect structural lesions pressing on a nerve but not actual damage to the nerve itself nor can it determine how much damage has been done.
“The conditions that may be causing nerve damage that can be identified by MRI include spinal cord compression or fracture, arthritic changes, tumors pressing on a nerve, or herniated vertebral discs.” (ref.)
Note that none of these are nerves but are external to them.
When is EMG/NCV testing the right course of action?
Electromyography and Nerve Conduction Velocity testing (EMG/NCV), by comparison, is nerve-specific in its orientation.
There is no massive machinery or claustrophobia to contend with, just a patient and doctor in a normal exam room with the proper equipment, an electromyograph, performing what’s known as an electromyogram.
The results of an EMG test can indicate nerve dysfunction, muscle dysfunction or reveal problems with nerve-to-muscle signals. The Nerve Conduction Study portion of the testing uses electrode stickers that are applied to the surface of the skin in order to measure the speed and strength of nerve impulses traveling between two or more points along the nerve.
EMG testing produces graphs of nerve activity, sounds and numerical values that are then interpreted by the specialist.
In this way, the source of hidden nerve damage, often described using the terms “radiating pain” or “numbness and tingling”, can be revealed and a course of treatment offered.
Precision EMG is the leader in EMG/NCV testing in California with over 50 offices in the State. If you have questions about referring clients for testing feel free to reach out to the case facilitator (at right) in your area for more information and assistance in getting your client scheduled in the most timely manner.
More about EMG/NCV testing:
Our Case Facilitators
Esteban Galvez
George Santos
Melanie Greene
