Please bring with you a list of your current medications. This includes prescription medications, over-the-counter medications, vitamin or mineral supplements and herbal remedies.
Shower or bathe and DO NOT apply any lotions or creams to your skin.
You may eat a normal diet and take your medications as prescribed by your doctor EXCEPT if you have myasthenia gravis, do not take Mestinon before the test.
Wear comfortable clothing with a front button/zipper (NO pullovers).
When you arrive at the Neurophysiology Lab, check in at the reception desk. Please have the following ready:
- Health card (OHIP card). If you do not have an OHIP card, please bring another form of government-issued photo ID (such as a driver’s license, passport, or other provincial health card). Please arrive 15 minutes before your appointment.
- Your name, address and birth date
Tell the doctor or technologist before the test if you are on blood thinners or have hemophilia.
Tell the doctor or technologist if you have a cardiac pacemaker or use a transcutaneous nerve stimulator.
To conduct an EMG procedure, the physician puts a fine needle into a muscle. You will be asked to make movements and the activity will be recorded.
To conduct the nerve conduction studies, we put strips at different places along the nerve and muscle and apply short pulses to elicit a nerve/muscle response. Some people find the test uncomfortable.
No specific care is required after the test. You may develop some mild bruising where the needle was inserted.
You will be seen by a technologist and a doctor during the test. It may take up to three hours depending on what is requested by the referring doctor.
