I am a 40 year old female. I began having difficulty swallowing pills in the spring and was admitted to the hospital for a neurology workup when I began having difficulty swallowing food in June. They ruled out Myasthenia Gravis and did an EMG of my leg, arm, and hip. The EMG showed a mild myopathic change in the hip and L5/S1 radiculopathy. My ENT scope and exam showed pharyngeal dysphagia, thin vocal chords, and weakness of the tongue. Since that time I have developed slurring in my speech when I talk for long periods of time or when I read out loud. I have an appointment with a neurologist from the ALS clinic in August where they are discussing doing a bulbar EMG. Is it necessary to do a bulbar EMG to rule out bulbar onset ALS or would the prior EMG have shown ALS signs?
Hi.....i understand your query.... As you are having complaints of progressive weakness...and also ALS is having very short life span....i would advise you to go for bulbar EMG to rule out bulbar onset ALS...although no single test can confirm ALS...it is correlation of clinicians findings and tests like EMG will be usefull....
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Wiil Not EMG Show The Signs Of ALS?
Hi.....i understand your query.... As you are having complaints of progressive weakness...and also ALS is having very short life span....i would advise you to go for bulbar EMG to rule out bulbar onset ALS...although no single test can confirm ALS...it is correlation of clinicians findings and tests like EMG will be usefull....