EMG ON THE Pudendal Nerve

[AAB]

Has anyone had and EMG test on the pudendal nerve? I would like to know how it is done, does it hurt and does it leave lasting pain? Thank you in advance

[stephanies]

I had it done years ago. I did not know there were doctors still using this test. It was fairly painful for me and it caused an increase in pain for several weeks after the test.

[AAB]

Thank you Stephanies for the information, I really appreciate it. They offered this to me at Stanford. They said it is all done externally with very small needles. Was yours also done externally? The test is not until August. I have been having second thoughts about having it done. I have had 2 doctors including Dr. Hibner and 1 PT tell me they think is the obturator spasms affecting the PN. I am seeing a Pelvic Pain specialist at Stanford and she seems like she wants to get to the root of this. She feels this test is one way to "rule out".

[Violet M]

I had the pudendal nerve EMG. It was painful at the time but didn't last very long. I don't remember if there was much of a flare-up because I had surgery very soon afterward. The test did provide some valuable information in my case. Good luck if you have it. I would be interested to hear how it goes for you.

Violet

[CALIhelp]

I had a EMG it hurts but not nearly as bad of having to deal with pudendal neuralgia

[eraser]

I had the pudendal nerve EMG. It was painful at the time but didn't last very long. I don't remember if there was much of a flare-up because I had surgery very soon afterward. The test did provide some valuable information in my case. Good luck if you have it. I would be interested to hear how it goes for you.

Violet

Hi Violet,
I had SSEP, Bulbocavernous reflex and urehtral EMG testing yesterday, and collectively it was painful. Today, very gradually my pain is starting to come down though.

I haven't been told the results yet, pending full reporting and discussion at MDT. Although informally, I managed to get out of them that the waveform looked normal, which isn't what I wanted. I suspect that I will be told it's normal. Even though I meet the all of the essential Nantes criteria and the complementory criteria, they are keen to a diagnostic test to support a diagnosis of entrapement. Do you remember if your waveform was normal? They did say they needed to check the numbers but I suspect the outcome was inevitable.

I did anticipate experiencing this issue and was told that if this was the case, that they would need to be repeated sitting as opposed to lying down. The nightmare continues!

[Violet M]

Wow, Eraser, that is a nightmare if you have to repeat it. Hopefully you will get some valuable info from the one you already had.

It's been over 20 years since I had my testing done so I don't remember the results exactly. Can't remember them saying anything about a waveform but I do remember there were some conduction abnormalities that led the neurologist to suspect an entrapment. This was confirmed by Dr. Bautrant when he pressed on the nerve at the ischial spine.

Really, since you meet all of the Nantes Criteria, it seems like the next step would be to see the surgeon but I guess you would have to go to another country for that and I think you said you are waiting for the NHS to approve payment for that, right? If only the bureaucrats and the doctors had a clue as to how painful this disease is, they might not drag their feet so long. You can't imagine how painful it is until you actually experience it.

Violet

[eraser]

Wow, Eraser, that is a nightmare if you have to repeat it. Hopefully you will get some valuable info from the one you already had.

It's been over 20 years since I had my testing done so I don't remember the results exactly. Can't remember them saying anything about a waveform but I do remember there were some conduction abnormalities that led the neurologist to suspect an entrapment. This was confirmed by Dr. Bautrant when he pressed on the nerve at the ischial spine.

Really, since you meet all of the Nantes Criteria, it seems like the next step would be to see the surgeon but I guess you would have to go to another country for that and I think you said you are waiting for the NHS to approve payment for that, right? If only the bureaucrats and the doctors had a clue as to how painful this disease is, they might not drag their feet so long. You can't imagine how painful it is until you actually experience it.

Violet

Unfortunately Violet, it's even more complicated than that. The UK surgeon wants evidence of nerve compression, although he thought it sounded like entrapment. I have been referred to a neurologist, hence neurophysiologic testing. I have already raised that neurophysiology testing has been abonded by France due to its poor sensitivity but apparently they do more tests here. I am hoping that when the numbers are checked that I won't have to have the test repeated in a sitting position but I suspect that I won't be so lucky. As long as a second time round it shows what very much appears to be present. It does seem a little mad to me given that the Nantes criteria is the validated criteria in the literature and I meet all of the essential and almost all (EMG testing pending) - that it all hangs on a single complementary criteria. Until this is resolved, I cannot look to start the funding battle. The saga continues!

[Violet M]

Eraser, I'm so sorry you have to go through all of this. In the meantime, while you are waiting, are there any medications that are helping you get through it? For me, being able to sleep at night was really important -- just to get away from the symptoms for a bit. I hated taking medications but sometimes you really need to.

[eraser]

Eraser, I'm so sorry you have to go through all of this. In the meantime, while you are waiting, are there any medications that are helping you get through it? For me, being able to sleep at night was really important -- just to get away from the symptoms for a bit. I hated taking medications but sometimes you really need to.

Thanks, it is an ongoing nightmare. I have now been doing some further reading and watching of presentations and apparently only very specialised tests assess c-fibre compression that give arise to pain in entrapment - so I do have some further questions to ask at follow-up. I am sure I will speak to them soon so hopefully things will move forward. Pregablin 300 mg BD and Amitriptyline 30 mg at night. The Amitriptyline doesn't do a great deal for pain but does help with sleep at least. I am sure I will post again at the next drama.