New hope for back-pain sufferers

A test that has been around since World War II is now providing a more definitive diagnosis for the back aches and pains that commonly come with age.

Results from a new University of Michigan Health System study show that the electromyogram (EMG) test can accurately diagnosis spinal stenosis, and reduces misdiagnosis of low-back pain and other common neuromuscular conditions that have similar symptoms. This in turn helps avoid unnecessary back surgery.

The findings from this study were published in the December 2005 issue of Spine.

An estimated 400,000 Americans have spinal stenosis, a narrowing of spaces in the spine that results in pressure on the spinal cord and nerves and can lead to debilitating back pain or even paralysis if left untreated. The number of people affected by spinal stenosis is expected to grow as more baby boomers reach their 50s and 60s.

The problem, however, is that the symptoms of spinal stenosis are shared by many other diseases, including peripheral nerve disease and even arthritis in the joints, which can lead to costly misdiagnoses and unnecessary back surgery, says study lead author Andrew Haig, M.D., associate professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Michigan Medical School.

“EMG plays an important role in the diagnosis of back pain because, unlike MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), EMG is more than a picture of a nerve—it can test nerve function and show if there is actual nerve damage,” said Haig in a university press release. “The EMG is really going to help doctors to avoid unnecessary procedures because it proves that there is nerve damage in the people who clearly have it and can accurately diagnosis spinal stenosis.”