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Neurophysiology
A guide for patients and carers
Introduction
The Brain and Spine Foundation would like to thank Dr Steven White, Consultant Neurophysiologist, St Bartholomew’s Hospital, London, who has written this booklet, Dr Nizar Muhammed, Consultant Clinical Neurophysiologist, Essex Centre for Neurological Sciences; and Patricia Hewson, for their invaluable assistance with this project
This is intended to provide general information about neurophysiology tests. It has been written to answer some of the questions often asked by people who have been asked to undergo or who have already undergone one or more of these tests, as well as for their families and carers.
However, because these tests are conducted for many different reasons, it is important that you speak to your own GP or to the doctor, nurse or technician who is looking after you, since they are in a position to offer advice and information to meet your own specific needs.
Note: Words printed in bold are explained in the glossary.
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Contents
- Introduction
- What is clinical neurophysiology?
- Who works in a neurophysiology department?
- What will happen in the clinical neurophysiology department?
- What is an EEG?
- Why is my doctor sending me for a sleep EEG?
- Can an EEG be carried on yound children and babies?
- What will the EEG show in someone with epilepsy?
- What is an ambulatory EEG?
- When is video-telemetry used?
- Can the EEG help with the decision about possible surgery for epilepsy?
- What are evoked potentials?
- What is evoked potential testing used for?
- What can I expect during the test?
- What is EMG and nerve conduction studies?
- EMG in measuring electrical activity of the muscles
- Summary
- Other organisations that may be able to help
