Reid Neurology Associates

Neurology is the branch of medicine that deals with the anatomy, functions, and organic disorders of the nerves and the nervous system.

The nervous system is a complex, sophisticated system that regulates and coordinates body activities. It has two major divisions:

• Central nervous system: the brain and spinal cord

• Peripheral nervous system: all other neural elements, such as eyes, ears, skin, and other "sensory receptors"

Some of the conditions that neurologists may treat include:

• Headache disorders
• Seizure disorders, such as epilepsy
• Movement disorders, such as Parkinson's disease
• Neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease or Lou Gehrig's disease (ALS)

Neurologists do not perform surgery. If a patient requires surgery, they will be referred to a neurosurgeon.

Reid Neurology Associates not only has skilled technicians and practitioners who can diagnose conditions via electromyography but also a group of board-certified neurologists who can further evaluate and treat neurological conditions that are discovered using these studies. If you have questions about the diagnosis or treatment of a neurologic condition, please contact us at (765) 939-7711.

What is electromyography?

Electromyography (EMG) is a test used to assess the health of the peripheral nervous system -- the system that controls our voluntary and involuntary movements. The study determines the electrical activity of a nerve by measuring the speed and strength of signals between two or more points along the pathway of the nerve.

The needle electromyography exam records electrical activity of a muscle by inserting a needle electrode directly into the muscle. A nerve conduction study uses surface electrodes to measure the speed and strength of signals traveling between two or more points.

What conditions can EMG be used to diagnose?

EMG helps with the evaluation of symptoms including weakness, numbness, and neuropathic pain that might be caused by the peripheral nervous system. Neurological conditions that can be diagnosed via EMG include:

• Polyneuropathy (i.e. diabetic neuropathy, along with inflammatory neuropathies such as Guillain-Barre syndrome and CIDP)
• Mononeuropathies such as carpal tunnel syndrome or cubital tunnel syndrome in the upper extremity and peroneal neuropathy in the lower extremity
• Radiculopathy originating from the cervical and lumbar spine
• Plexopathies in the upper and lower extremities
• Disorders of the neuromuscular junction including myasthenia gravis
• Motor neuron disease such as ALS
• Myopathy