Effect of needle-EMG on blood-pressure and heart-rate

Though immediate pain is reported by nearly all patients undergoing needle-EMG,little is known about its cardiovascular risk from changes in blood-pressure orheart-rate. This study was thus conducted to investigate if, and to whichdegree, blood-pressure and heart-rate are influenced by needle-EMG. In 50patients, 24 women, 26 men, aged 26–78 years, conventional needle-EMGs from 54muscles were recorded. Pain was assessed on a verbal analogue pain-scale (1–10)and blood-pressure and heart-rate were measured before, during and after EMG.Mean pain-ratings before, during and after EMG were 0.8, 4.1 and 1.0,respectively…