Pearls and pitfalls in the use of electromyography and nerve conduction studies

This review aims to remind you of some of the fallibility of electromyography (EMG) and nerve conduction studies, as well as their usefulness. Areas covered will include designing the nerve conduction and EMG study, variables that effect the test including aging and temperature, how extensive a study needs to be, the importance of patient cooperation, interpretation of spontaneous discharges, types of electrical interference, and the importance of looking at the waveforms themselves from nerve conduction studies.