Needle Electro Myography (EMG)

Needle electromyography (EMG) is a better and more cost-effective alternative to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for patients with low back pain and might both improve diagnosis and prevent unnecessary surgery. A double-blind study showed cases where MRIs suggested back pain or spinal stenosis and found that EMG had "statistically significant, clinically meaningful specificity for spinal stenosis and detects neuromuscular diseases that may masquerade as stenosis."

A positive EMG tells you that there is spinal nerve involvement. EMG is also the choice to help eliminate neuropathy, peripheral nerve entrapment, tumors of the pelvis, and many spinal tumors. MRI is still necessary before surgery and may detect the rare spinal tumor that is missed on EMG.