EMG nerve test for sciatica ยท St. Louis
EMG nerve test for sciatica: finding where the leg pain really starts
An EMG with a nerve conduction study (NCS) checks the nerves running from your low back down the leg and shows whether one is pinched or damaged, and where. The test is done by a physician, who also writes the report. It helps tell true sciatica from leg pain that only looks like it.
A physician at Back Pain STL decides whether you need this test and orders it. You only have it if it is ordered for you.
What is it?
The nerve conduction part sends quick electrical taps along the leg nerves. The EMG part uses a thin needle to listen to a few muscles. It takes about 30 to 60 minutes.
Why does it matter for back pain?
Leg pain, numbness or weakness can come from a nerve root pinched by a disc or by narrowing in the spine. It can also come from a nerve squeezed lower in the leg, from diabetes damaging the nerves, or from a joint that refers pain without any nerve involved at all. An MRI can show a bulge that is not causing anything.
The test measures how the nerves are working, which a picture cannot do. It points treatment to the right level, or away from the spine when the spine is not the problem.
What does it feel like?
The taps feel like a quick snap. The needle feels like a pinch in each muscle checked. Most people go back to their usual day right after.
How do you get ready?
Wear loose pants or shorts. Skip lotion on your legs that day.
What should you tell us first?
- Before testing, let us know about blood thinners, a pacemaker, leg swelling or any skin trouble on the legs
More on this site: a pinched nerve in the lower back, sciatica or referred pain, numbness in the foot.
Other tests in the program
This page is part of our physiotherapy program for back pain, where a physician orders, supervises and re-checks every step.
Find out what your back actually needs
Your first visit is a physician exam, not a sales pitch for a machine. You leave knowing what is driving your pain and which parts of the program fit it.
12174 Natural Bridge Rd, Suite 301
St. Louis, MO 63044
At DePaul Hospital on Natural Bridge Road, inside the I-270 and I-70 interchange, on the west side of the airport.