Tests
We perform a number of neuromuscular tests:
- Biopsy is the removal of a piece of skin, muscle, or nerve to diagnose a muscle or nerve disorder.
- Electromyography (EMG) is a test that assesses a muscle's health and the nerves controlling it. It is useful in diagnosing conditions such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or myasthenia gravis.
- Nerve conduction studies (NCS) measure the speed with which nerves communicate, and can help diagnose conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome.
Autonomic testing
Autonomic nerves are those that control systems such as blood pressure and sweating. Autonomic nerve testing measures how autonomic nerves respond to various stimuli. This testing can help us diagnose diseases such as diabetic neuropathy, Parkinson's disease, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, and fainting.
Our tests record changes in heart rate during deep breathing and the Valsalva maneuver (simultaneously holding your breath and trying to exhale). We monitor blood pressure measurements continuously monitored with a finger cuff device. Deep breathing or the application of a medical substance can induce sweating in the hand and leg.
Cardiovascular Medicine can also run a comprehensive tilt-table evaluation, which shows how a patient's heart reacts to a quick change of position and prolonged standing. In this test, the patient lies on a special table that is rapidly tilted to 65 degrees. Sometimes a doctor may give a patient various medications during the test to help find the best treatment for a patient's fainting episodes.
Treatments
We provide the following treatments:
- Carpal tunnel release: This procedure relieves the pain of carpal tunnel syndrome by freeing the carpal nerve from pressure.
- Botulinim toxin (BOTOX®) injections: Injecting Botox into affected muscles can aid patients with conditions such as spasticity, dystonia, or torticollis. Botox paralyzes the muscle, preventing spasms.
- Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapy: Conditions such as Guillain-Barre syndrome and myasthenia gravis can be sometimes treated by injecting the patient with antibodies that can help fight the disease.