Elettromiografia: come funziona e quando è richiesta

Electromyography is a useful test in the diagnosis of radiculopathies (e.g., herniated discs), plexopathies (traumatic, inflammatory), nerve compression (carpal tunnel syndrome, tarsal tunnel syndrome, cubital tunnel syndrome, etc.), polyneuropathies, such as diabetic, inflammatory, toxic, and deficiency polyneuropathies, and both congenital (muscular dystrophies) and acquired (myositis, motor neuron diseases, etc.) myopathies. The application of small electric shocks to the skin over peripheral nerves allows us to study both motor and sensory nerve conduction, evaluating the speed, latency, and amplitude of the responses obtained. Thin disposable electrode needles inserted into the muscles allow us to study muscle electrical activity, allowing us to distinguish between primary muscle pain and those secondary to lesions of the motor nerves or neurons. In the video, Dr. Paolo Buzzi, a neurologist at Montecchi Hospital in Suzzara, demonstrates how the tool works and illustrates its use cases.