ANA Discussion Forum
Post-Treatment => Facial Issues => Topic started by: nancyann on January 12, 2007, 05:17:59 pm
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HI EVERYONE:
I HAD MY REPEAT FACIAL EMG TODAY - IT SHOWS 10-15% REGENERATION JUST BELOW MY CHIN TO THE RIGHT !!!!!! (previous EMG showed 0%)
THE NEUROLOGIST SAID IT CAN TAKE 1 - 2 YEARS FOR MOVEMENT.
I AM SOOOO HAPPY. WILL PROBABLY HAVE A REPEAT EMG IN 6 MONTHS.
I DON'T HAVE ANY MOVEMENT, BUT HOPEFULLY WILL START GETTING SOME TONE BACK FIRST.
WANTED TO SHARE THE GOOD NEWS !!!!!!! ( now if I can just get this cork off the champagne !!)
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Congratulations, NancyAnn!!!!! I'm so happy for you. It's so nice to have hope for the future. How long ago was your surgery? It took me just over three months to regain any movement at all. It was miniscule at first. Now I can make a tiny smile. Hopefully you will be getting some movement soon.
Jean
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Fantastic news! :D Brilliant, well done. Sooooooo happy for you!
Did you get the cork off or did you ahve to use a sword?
Ciao, Lorenzo
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Hi Jean:
My surgery was 6 months & 3 weeks ago =
my progress is slow, but at first there was really no hope of nerve regeneration,
so if it takes me the 2 years to get movement, I can wait. I'll be happy when some tone comes back.
I can see the difference in your most recent picture Jean, your face looks symmetrical in this one.
That's what I'm hoping for to start, then the movement.
Hey Lorenzo, yes, I got the cork off & had myself a toast !!! YEEAAHHH again !!!!!
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Hi Nancyann:
What great news!! Congrats!!
I am so glad your dr. is ordering periodic EMGs. It is so good for your head!!
Kathy
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I am new at this. What is an EMG?
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I am new at this. What is an EMG?
EMG = electromyography
I just had one done on my arm/hand, which is the only reason I know anything about it. It's a grouping of tests done to determine how well electrical impulses travel along a nerve, basically. Mine was done by sending small electrical shocks (feels like a static shock like when you rub your feet on a carpet and then touch someone) through the nerve and measuring them at the other end of the nerve. I don't know if the facial ones are done the same way.
Katie
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hi there - yup, they're the same except the needle is inserted into the face ( at the chin, on the cheek at the side of the nose, & above the eyebrow for the facial emg. )
I've been having acupuncture since October, of course the doc gave me a look & a grin when I told him - most docs don't seem to believe in it,
but I'm going to continue the acupuncture (probably less frequently, since it does hurt when it's done, also hurts the old pocketbook.... I also have Luminex Laser
done right after the acupuncture. Also take Omega 3 fish oil geltabs & lipoic acid with Q10 caps...)
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Who can do the EMG? can you request on or does the doc recommend one? How do they do it?
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hi there =
a neurologist does the procedure,
i have to get a referral from my PCP for it.
The procedure is in 2 parts, takes about 20 minutes.
first he put 3 small electrode pads on my face,
held what looks like a stun gun to the side of my neck,
& gives a low volt. zap, did it about 4 or 5 times. it checks neuromuscular reaction;
then he put a needle into 3 areas, one at a time, & checked for nerve regeneration.
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Talk to Dr Backous for your referral. See if you can get your appointment with Dr John Ravits. He is
one of the very best doctors for this.. My husband had a non Virgina Mason medical team, but when it came to this test we were told to go to him, and when booking the appointment insist on him. he was truly an amazing Doctor. He took the time to explain things as he was doing the test. Was very caring and went out of his way to help my husband. I am sure that he has long forgotten us, but 9 years later we clearly remember him and his kindness.
Best to you
Raydean
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Nancyann - Congratulations ;D ;D ;D ;D
Although we all wish for big steps in this AN journey, it seems to be little ones that we take, but no matter how small, we are still moving in the right direction.
hugs,
Cheryl
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That's so wonderful! Congratulations. As a fellow FP sufferer I know what a thrill it is to have that nerve recovering! My doc said that a nerve at 15-20% can have meaningful movement and so I hope this is true for you so that you can enjoy some movement as your recovery continues!!
Amy :D
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WELL, THERE YOU GO ! Didn't know movement can start at 15-20% nerve regeneration. That's more good news for me !!!
YEEEAAAAAAHHH !!!!
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Good News for sure, NancyAnn. I wish you continued success.
Denise
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HI EVERYONE:
I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYONE ON THIS FORUM FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT & ENCOURAGEMENT
THROUGH THE GOOD & THE BAD TIMES.
IT MEANS THE WORLD TO ME TO KNOW ALL OF YOU ARE OUT THERE CHEERING US ALL ON,
GIVING US A SHOULDER TO CRY ON,
JUST BEING HERE TO LISTEN.
NANCY
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can anyone tell me what their emg showed as their facial nerve started to recover. I know at first you have fibrillations showing denervation and then those are eventually replaced with polyphasic potentials but what does it mean when it says there are motor unit action potentials present but low amplitute? what will the emg show when the nerve and muscle movement has started to return?
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I don't know about all that, I never really got into the actual workings with my neurologist, but I do know that my #s did not continue to improve -
I think I stayed around 300-400, & normal is in the thousand(s). At 1st there was a little improvement (# wise), but in the end we think it was just
the nerve from the good side of the chin trying to compensate....
So, from what I know, when the #'s start going into the thousand(s), you're in luck (the #s should steadily increase).
This is a very simple explanation, but it's all I know - maybe someone else can help with a more indepth answer.
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Just a little FYI item.. a PT can do a surface EMG. It's not as accurate as the regular one, but it does not involve sticking needles in you. It's just little sticky things that attach to your skin over certain muscles and gives you a read out involving beeps and a graph on a computer screen to let you know what's going on electrically in there. Then you can do biofeedback using the info on the screen and the beeps to get the muscles working.
I know some people might have an issue with insurance covering a regular EMG, but if you can get them to cover PT, they should be able to do the surface EMG for you. I've found it helpful because I may not be able to actually feel what muscle I'm contracting, but I can see it on the read out. It also helps psychologically to see the numbers go up from month to month. I need that kind of encouragement!
Just thought I'd throw that out there - especially for those of you who don't do needles!! ;)
Lori
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I was instructed to not have an emg through neuro (don't ask me why) but my face retrainer does that sticky thing that you guys were talking about. It beeps showing movement...right after surgery you would hear silence and when you hear beeps that is good....
Meagan
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I SAW MY NEURO DOCTOR WHO DIDN'T EVEN CARE TO SEE MY EMG THAT I HAD DONE AT ANOTHER INSTITUTION. HE SAID THE EMG ISN'T WHAT MATTERS. WHAT MATTERS IS SEEING FACIAL MOVEMENT. IF THIS IS THE CASE THEN WHY DO MOST DOCTORS ORDER THEM? CAN YOU HAVE A GOOD EMG AND STILL NOT RECOVER?
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I like the way your doc thinks Crookedsmile: he looks at the 'clinical picture' & doesn't rely on lab data exclusively. Neurologists are smart thinkers that way. The lab results can verify what he finds clinically. I did have routine EMGs, mainly because they were doing them as a pre-op to the nerve grafting, which, in the end, I decided against anyway.
Always good thoughts, Nancy