Electromyography Case Examples: Practical Approaches to Neuromuscular Symptoms

Many neuromuscular complaints are evaluated with electrodiagnostic testing. In practice, physicians must plan the electrodiagnostic study to provide the most useful information addressing patients' symptoms. The approach to each study must be individualized based on the symptoms and findings of each previous result. This article reviews five real cases with common reasons for referral to the neurophysiology laboratory with discussion of the approach to testing, interpretation of the results, and practical decision-making points relevant to each case. The goal is to provide rationale for why specific studies were selected and how each was helpful in deriving the final diagnosis.