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By Mayo Clinic staff
During your EMG
Initially, a technician will place electrodes on the surface of your skin and stimulate the nerve with a small electrical stimulus that will make your muscles twitch. This twitch will be measured by the computer.
A physician will then insert a thin, sterile needle electrode through your skin into the muscle to detect electrical activity in your nerve and muscle. During the exam, the electrical activity is displayed on a printout or computer screen and broadcast over a speaker.
After the electrode is in place, you may be asked to contract the muscle. The electrical activity produced when you do so will provide information about the muscle's ability to respond when the nerve is stimulated.
An EMG can be uncomfortable, as the needle electrode may cause muscle pain. But, the pain is usually limited and goes away soon after the needle is removed from your muscle.
After your EMG
You may experience some temporary, minor bruising where the needle was inserted into your muscle. This bruising should fade within several days. If it persists, contact your doctor.
