question about EMG test

[Kasra_]

is it possible for a person to have a bulging disc or any kind of spine injury with normal EMG ? also i have normal mri and xray, i have result bellow but still pain in left leg.

doctor said your sciatic pain is because of iam anxious, he gave me some medicine and i think iam feeling good (dont feeling nervous or anxious rn) but still pain ! anyone else who experiance the samething ?

[Poppy_Ann]

Hi Kasra,

You have to accept that doctors do not know everything especially with the cause of back related pain (they are in practice) for years I was told that there was no reason for my pain I had had many days and scans where "nothing" showed up then after over 10 years later I was told that my back was broke in three places then a few years later was told it was broke in 4 places I could understand if they missed one break but to miss 4 all in the same area (L1,L2,L3 and L4) along with my neck was falling apart which was due to an accident in the army. Doctors have to guess what the problem is most people go to the doctor thinking that they will know what the cause is and tell you how to fix it what the doctor does is give you an educated guess the problem is that they only see you for a few minutes but the problem is with you almost all of the time and if you see them on one of your good times they have to base it just on the few minutes they see you, what I did was to keep a diary of my pain along with how it affected me after doing this for almost two years I worked out that my better days were less than 10% and my bad days(where I could not even get out of bed) were almost 50% until I worked out the numbers I had believed my bad days were only around 20-25% I suppose I try to remember the good times and forget the bad times.

Sorry I have gone of topic I just wanted to point out that doctors are not infallible and I think they miss as much as they get right.

Take care and I wish you good luck in finding a solution to your pain.

Regards Poppy Ann.

[Kasra_ in reply to Poppy_Ann]

Hi poppy, thank for the replay, as you said they just give an educated guess, also making a diary of pain along the day is a good idea

[curiousgeorge2]

Hi Kasra_

After a lifetime of chronic pain I've learned a LOT!

Left sided pain, from the top of my head to my foot.

I've been to countless Drs, Specialists, EMG, Physio, Chiro, Massage Therapy, Prolotherapy, PRP, Nerve blocks, Acupuncture, MRI's, CT's, surgeries, and on and on.

Just because your EMG doesn't show abnormal findings it's only one of many diagnostic tests used to rule out problems. One test does not tell the whole story. It's accurate in identifying spinal or peripheral nerve interference.....but there are other things that can aggravate your nerve[s].

I was lucky enough to be referred to a progressive Physio Clinic following a concussion/whiplash. It also flared the pain my body was storing.

He diagnosed Neural Tension Syndrome and helped me understand where my pain/disability was coming from and why it continued to resurface. This would never have shown on imaging or mainstream medical testing.

Two years of therapy with noticeable improvement, yay!

Most importantly, I now understand this is not "in my head", nor is it my fault.

Keep looking, explore practitioners who specialize in nervous system dysfunction.

Good luck to you, I hope you find relief soon.

[Kasra_ in reply to curiousgeorge2]

thanks for your valueable response and the time that you spend to share your experiance, now i know more, and that help me to keep continue and ask more dr's, really thanks

[curiousgeorge2 in reply to Kasra_]

You're very welcome!

I had a conversation with my Dr. [G.P.] about Neural Tension diagnosis and treatment plan from physio. Her reply was honest and I think describes many peoples experiences- "We as Physicians don't have the tools, training or resources to help people with more complicated pain issues. Aside from diet, lifestyle advise. ordering imaging/lab tests our hands are tied" She expressed a lot of frustration but that's the reality.

I'm in Canada where health care coverage is starting to recognize extended holistic benefits. Out of pocket expenses can run up fast!

My advice would be to spend wisely while looking for the practitioner with the right skills.

I have great respect for Osteopaths. With a single appointment they can do hands on body scans and adjustments- muscles, fascia, nerves, skeletal structure.

Maybe that would be a good place to start?

All the best, keep us posted.