EMG

Most physicians who see patients with carpal tunnel will order a very special test. We call it the Electrical Pins and Needles Test, but its real name is an EMG – an Electro Myogram with nerve conductions. It’s sort of like looking at an intersection and seeing how long it takes for a car to get across the intersection. The EMG looks and it sees: how long does it take for the nerve impulses to go underneath the ligament, from the wrist and into the palm? If that time is prolonged (and it can be variably prolonged – meaning some people may have it a little long, some people may have it a lot long) – that determines a degree of carpal tunnel – mild, moderate or severe. If that same test (the EMG) also shows that there are muscle cells dying, something definitely needs to be done.