When an electrode is put in, a brief period of activity can be seen. Muscle tissue does not normally make electrical signals during rest. The number and location of muscles depends on what the healthcare provider is looking for.ĮMG measures the electrical activity of your muscle during rest, slight contraction, and forceful contraction. Often, several muscles are tested one at a time. An audio-amplifier is used so the activity can be heard. The electrical activity picked up by the electrodes is then displayed on a monitor in the form of waves.
The test is used to help find nerve and muscle problems.ĭuring the test, your healthcare provider will put a small needle (also called electrodes) through your skin into a muscle. Electromyography (EMG) measures muscle response or electrical activity in response to a nerve’s stimulation of your muscle.
