Expect a fine needle to be placed briefly into selected muscles while the electrical activity is recorded, first at rest and then while you gently tense the muscle. This is the second half of the appointment, following the nerve conduction study.
Expect a fine needle to be placed briefly into selected muscles while the electrical activity is recorded, first at rest and then while you gently tense the muscle. This is the second half of the appointment, following the nerve conduction study.
An EMG (electromyography) measures the electrical activity of your muscles. MedlinePlus describes the test as a very thin needle electrode placed through the skin into a muscle, with the signals shown on a monitor. The needle is an electrode, not a syringe: nothing is injected and nothing is drawn out. It is thinner than one used for a blood test. It is inserted a short way into a muscle and the electrical signals the muscle fibres generate are recorded, first with the muscle completely relaxed and then while you contract it gently against instruction. A healthy muscle is electrically silent at rest, so any spontaneous activity there is a meaningful finding.
Insertion produces a brief sting, and tensing the muscle afterwards produces an ache. Both are short-lived. Several muscles are usually examined, and the needle is repositioned slightly within each, so you feel a series of brief sensations rather than one continuous one. The study is done in segments, which means you can ask for a pause at any point without disrupting anything. Tensing against the test makes recording harder and the appointment longer, so knowing what is coming genuinely helps.
Mild soreness in the muscles examined for about a day is common, comparable to the ache after unfamiliar exercise, and a small bruise at a needle site is possible. No sedation is used, so you drive yourself home and return to normal activity. Tell the team beforehand about blood thinners, a pacemaker or a defibrillator, since each changes technique. At CNS the neurologist performing the study interprets it, which is why the protocol can be extended mid-session if a finding redirects the question. Our page on EMG and nerve conduction studies at CNS explains how the two parts fit together.
Knowing what to expect during an EMG test makes the appointment easier, and a little preparation makes the recording more accurate. Most of the steps below take a few minutes. They follow the general advice from Johns Hopkins Medicine and our own lab instructions.
Most EMG appointments start with a nerve conduction study. Small sticky pads are placed on the skin, and a brief electrical pulse is applied over a nerve to measure how fast and how strongly the signal travels. MedlinePlus notes that each pulse can feel like a quick electric shock, with discomfort that depends on its strength. Each pulse lasts a fraction of a second, and the team explains what is coming before each set. No needles are used in this part.
Together, the two parts usually take between 20 and 90 minutes, depending on how many nerves and muscles the question requires. Our article on what to expect during a nerve conduction study goes into more detail, and how long an EMG takes breaks down the timing.
Where the test is done matters, because the quality of an EMG depends on the person performing and reading it. CNS runs electrodiagnostic laboratories at both offices, Las Vegas on W. Flamingo Rd. and Henderson on W. Horizon Ridge Pkwy., and each is accredited by the American Association of Neuromuscular & Electrodiagnostic Medicine. You can read what that review covers on our AANEM accreditation page.
If you are comparing options for an EMG test in Las Vegas or elsewhere in the state, our overview of EMG testing across Nevada covers referrals, insurance and scheduling. Our team checks your plan and any referral it needs before the visit.
Worry about needles, pain and not knowing what happens in the room.
Brief pulses and short needle recordings done in segments, with the team explaining each step and pausing whenever you ask.
A study read by the neurologist who performed it, mild soreness for about a day, and a clear plan for next steps.
Because the neurologist who performs the study also interprets it, there is no hand-off to a separate reader, and a written report is sent to the clinician who referred you. The report describes whether nerves and muscles are working normally and, if not, the pattern and severity of any change. Our guide to EMG results explained walks through the common terms.
Patients come to the Las Vegas and Henderson offices from across Southern Nevada, including Summerlin. If you are anxious about the needle part, our article on whether an EMG hurts answers that question in more depth. To book, call 702-804-1212 or request an appointment online.
Clinical Neurology Specialists has been physician-owned since 1998, when Leo Germin, M.D., FAANEM founded it. Five board-certified neurologists and four advanced practice providers see patients at the Las Vegas and Henderson offices, each with its own AANEM-accredited electrodiagnostic laboratory.
Clinical Neurology Specialists is an adult outpatient neurology practice for patients 18 and older. The practice performs no surgery and operates no imaging suite, infusion suite or interventional pain programme, and provides no emergency or inpatient care.
Physician-reviewed. Reviewed by the physicians of Clinical Neurology Specialists — board-certified neurologists, AANEM-accredited electrodiagnostic laboratories, physician-owned since 1998. Reviewed 1 August 2026. This article is general education for adults 18 and older and is not a substitute for a consultation.
Sources and further reading: MedlinePlus: electromyography; MedlinePlus: nerve conduction velocity; Johns Hopkins Medicine: electromyography (EMG).
Adults 18 and older, at the Las Vegas and Henderson offices. Call 702-804-1212 or request an appointment online.