Northern Physical Therapy is a Hands-On Diagnostics Approved Diagnostics Center!

EMG/NCS Testing

EMG stands for Electromyography and NCS stands for Nerve Conduction Studies.

The test has two parts:

  1. An EMG (Electromyogram) measures the electrical activity of muscles at rest and during contraction. Nerves control the muscles in the body by electrical signals (impulses), and these impulses cause the muscles to react in specific ways. Nerve and muscle disorders cause the muscles to react in abnormal ways. During an Electromyography study, a very small pin is inserted in the muscle that helps us evaluate the condition of your muscles.
  2. NCS (Nerve Conduction Studies) are used to measure the health of your nerves. Mild electrical stimulation is administered to the skin directly overlaying the nerve. The response is measured by a second set of electrodes applied to the surface of the skin. This impulse produces a visual signal on a computer monitor, and when analyzed, it can provide information about the condition of the nerve.

Measuring the electrical activity in muscles and nerves can help find diseases that damage muscle tissue (such as myopathy and muscular dystrophy) or nerves (such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or peripheral neuropathies). EMG and Nerve Conduction Studies are often done together to provide us with more complete data.

The results of EMG/NCS testing can be an invaluable tool for your doctor to determine various conditions that can affect your nerves and muscles, which will help them manage your care more effectively.

EMG/NCS are easy, reliable and safe tests

Dr. Kostopoulos is board certified in clinical electrophysiology testing, and has over 15 years of experience in clinical electrophysiology with numerous articles published.

Our team of highly trained professionals, always in the closest cooperation and communication with the patient and ordering physician, is here to provide you with a pleasant and comfortable experience, and to obtain the most valuable information needed for your doctor.

Proper testing can assist in correct diagnosis that leads to the appropriate physical therapy treatment. EMG/NCS testing can be part of your health solution!

For more information, contact us here.

MSK Ultrasound Testing

What is MSK Ultrasound Testing?

It allows you to see inside your body at the area of the joint and muscle where you feel pain. You can see during your physical therapy session how the various structures move and what is the effect of your problem on the body.

Recent advances in sonar and ultrasound technology have created a more functional and practical approach to evaluate joints, muscles, ligaments, and even nerves. This technology is called musculoskeletal ultrasound.

Diagnostic ultrasound offers a number of important advantages compared to X-Ray, CT, and MRI, in terms of safety and effectiveness. Diagnostic ultrasound is noninvasive and offers real-time imaging, allowing for examinations of structures at rest and in motion. This ability to capture the movement of musculoskeletal components differentiates it from other imaging modalities and can permit more accurate diagnoses.

MSK Ultrasound Testing simply uses sonic waves, and there is no exposure to radiation.

For more information, contact us here.