Specialties - Nexus Neurology

Neurological Consultation

Consultation times will vary depending on the complexity of your case, but an initial consultation in general will take approximately 40 minutes. The doctor will go through your medical history in detail, examine you thoroughly and go through tests already performed before coming to an initial possible diagnosis, or list of possible diagnoses. They will then discuss this list with you and describe a plan to move forward including any further testing required.

Medical History may include information about:

The present problem
The reason for a neurological consultation
Past medical history
Hospitalizations
Surgical treatments
Medicines and medication allergies

A thorough examination may include:

Motor examination–checking muscle strength, mobility and reflexes
Sensory examination–checking touch, vibration and position
Cerebellar testing–checking coordination
Mental examination–checking memory
Cranial examination–checking eye and facial movements

Nerve Conduction Study / EMG

Nerve Conduction Studies and Electromyography (abbreviated as NCS/EMG), performed by two of our Neurologists, are useful to assess the function of a patient’s nerves and muscles. They are considered an ‘extension of the clinical examination’, and can be very helpful in localising exactly where a problem is within the nervous system. The neurologist uses small electrodes on the skin and small electrical impulses to assess nerve function and may proceed to place fine needles into the muscle to look further into nerve and muscle function if required.

Why do an EMG?

Find problems that damage muscle tissue, nerves, or the spots where nerves and muscles join. These problems may include a herniated disc, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or myasthenia gravis (MG).
Find the cause of weakness, paralysis, or muscle twitching. Problems in a muscle or the nerves going to a muscle can cause these symptoms. So can problems in the spinal cord or the area of the brain that controls a muscle. The EMG does not show brain or spinal cord diseases.

A nerve conduction study is done to:

Find damage to the peripheral nervous system. This includes all the nerves that lead away from the brain and spinal cord. It also includes the smaller nerves that branch out from those nerves. This test is often used to help find nerve problems such as carpal tunnel syndrome or Guillain-Barré syndrome.