Re: EMG or MRI
Hi an EMG only shows electrical currents associated with muscle contractions; it wont tell you anything about MS; however it can rule out things like Carpal Tunnel, which is often the first thing a doctor looks at with nerve pain, muscle contractions.....
A MRI is a magnet which shows slices of the brain/ spine- whatever is being scanned....this picks up lesions, which are indicative of MS. Lesions can also be from migranes, prior brain truama, and infections...only a Neurologist can really tell the difference between a MS type lesion and other lesions...the size, shape and placement of them helps direct them to the proper type or diagnosis.
Keeping in mind that there is no ONE test for MS- ruling out everything else IS important, so dont walk away from an EMG because it wont "tell" if you have MS, it might tell that you have something else, and its NOT Multiple Sclerosis.
if you have more questions about diagnosing MS, you might want to read up on the McDonald Criteria, which is what doctors use to dx the disease. You can search it out here on healthboards and get more info....however, the gist of it, is LESIONS, SYMTOMS and HISTORY .....these things lead to a MS dx...you cannot get a dx without at least mutiple lesions, specific symtoms and a time frame of how they present.
Hope this helps?
RRMS- dx 05