EMG’s

Original Post:  Today I had my 3-limb EMG. I asked the neurologist performing it if she had ever worked for the CIA.  When it was all done she said there were signs of post-polio and that I had incredible pain tolerance. I told her all Post-Polio’ers have incredible pain tolerance or we wouldn't have gotten much done in our lives. It is something we learned through our experience. She seemed genuinely impressed . . . so to all you PPS’ers if you didn't know it. You are some tough cookies.  She said she needed to do some reading on the subject.

Additional Post: I was supposed to have an EMG today and after several jolts, I said, "ENOUGH!" (I was crying.) Polio or not, I couldn't take it - no way! Who invented this test, Der Fuhrer? I did make it through the muscle test, where they stick a needle into the muscles, no problem. I was told nothing showed up. I talked to the neurologist overseeing the test. She was very helpful and explained that in my case, they weren't expecting to find anything from the EMG that could be used to draw any new conclusions - or would change anything. There is no doubt that I had polio as a child - so, what's the point? I also asked about the muscle test. (Since the neurologists I have seen do not suspect I have anything like ALS, MS, or MG), I asked what things might conceivably show up on the muscle test. She said basically auto-immune type muscle problems. I asked if they were treatable and she said "with Cortisone." From my experience, when given orally, Cortisone is one of those drugs where the cure is worse than the condition. I get so tired I can’t function. My conclusion? They have ruled out anything not polio related that could be causing my symptoms so therefore it’s post-polio syndrome. Goodbye, neurologists . . .

Dr. Bruno’s Response: 

There are NO “signs of post-polio” on a clinical EMG. Only proof of an old polio.

She'd better do a LOT of reading!

In our 1st study in 1984, we found that polio survivors were TWICE as SENSITIVE to pain as non-polio controls. So polio survivors had to develop a higher pain tolerance if they were going to do incredibly painful polio rehab. 

Always Remember:  Conserve to Preserve.

Richard L. Bruno, HD, PhD