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- Oct 2, 2007
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All the time I see patients who have had previous EMG's, and much of the time they swear they did not have NCS done, only the needle exam. I have the reports from other doctors showing the NCS results, yet as I'm doing the zaps, they still say that they never had it don't or at least don't recall it. One a couple weeks ago was a patient I did the exam a couple years ago, and she still said that she only remembered the needle exam.
Along the same lines, almost every day I have someone who is suprised when I say "Now we're going to switch to the needle exam." They act like they had no idea a needle would be used, and this is after I have already told them at the beginning of the exam that I would be doing the NCS and "I will be sticking a small needle into several muscles." Others think the NCS was the needle exam. I think maybe it's just the anxiety at work and they are not really hearing anything I say.
But then, every so often I get one like today - When I mentioned the needle at the beginning, I got a huge anxiety response, "Oh no, not a needle! I hate needles!" and near tears. 20 minutes later when I said we would be moving on to the needle exam I get "What?!?! You never said anything about a needle! Oh god, no!" I just look at my nurse, WTF?
Do you guys see similar?
Along the same lines, almost every day I have someone who is suprised when I say "Now we're going to switch to the needle exam." They act like they had no idea a needle would be used, and this is after I have already told them at the beginning of the exam that I would be doing the NCS and "I will be sticking a small needle into several muscles." Others think the NCS was the needle exam. I think maybe it's just the anxiety at work and they are not really hearing anything I say.
But then, every so often I get one like today - When I mentioned the needle at the beginning, I got a huge anxiety response, "Oh no, not a needle! I hate needles!" and near tears. 20 minutes later when I said we would be moving on to the needle exam I get "What?!?! You never said anything about a needle! Oh god, no!" I just look at my nurse, WTF?
Do you guys see similar?