Normal EMG Doesn't Rule Out Nerve Damage — Here's Why

Your EMG came back normal — so why do your feet still burn, tingle, or go numb? A normal result doesn't mean your nerves are fine. In this breakdown, Dr. Fitz explains why standard EMG and nerve conduction studies are built to measure the large, myelinated nerve fibers, and can miss what's happening in the small fibers that often drive burning and tingling symptoms. He walks through why a "clean" test can leave real symptoms unexplained, and what kinds of testing may pick up what an EMG doesn't.

What you'll learn in this video

  • What an EMG and nerve conduction study actually measure — and the fibers they can't see
  • Why small-fiber involvement can produce burning and tingling while your EMG reads normal
  • The reason a "clean" test result doesn't always match how your feet feel
  • Which additional types of testing may detect what a standard EMG misses
  • Why being told "your test is normal" can leave real symptoms unexplained
  • Questions worth asking if your symptoms don't line up with your results