To EMG or not to EMG?

About a week ago I finally visited a doctor to check on my right arm.

After years of various injuries, from fractures to partial tendon tears, my right arm suffers from muscle loss, strength loss and the occasional paraesthesia.

I had managed to live with my injuries for the last 15 years.

But this year, of all years, I noticed my nerve health deteriorating at a faster rate. The occasional tingling and numbing of the hand became both longer lasting and also easier to trigger, a burning feeling and a sensation of shocks were also added to the list, even my ability to flex appears to be slightly impaired.

So my doctor made a thorough physical evaluation, strength, range what have you, and then he said given my situation could actually be in a way worse condition. How lucky.

He noticed my ulnar nerve appeared to be shifting in and out of place, so he also ordered some tests, mainly an electromyography, to which I have an appointment for early Thursday.

My problem is that I have read this is such a controversial subject, while some people claim their tests were uncomfortable and they recovered in a couple days, there are others who claim several months of excruciating suffering and permanent impairment starting with this procedure.

In one hand I would like to go ahead and get treatment and hopefully improve my health, not to mention avoid possible complications in the future. But I'm also afraid to death of injuring myself even more, my nerves are already irritated and I'm sure electricity would do a number on me, besides, with my muscle loss, my arm is noticeably thinner, so the chance of the needles hurting more than the muscle is quite scary, like the nerves, ligaments or something, the point of the test is to see if and how much damage there is with the nerve, but what if the pinching ends up hurting it even more?

Above all I'm generally a very anxious person, and in my case health issues are the worst trigger there is.

I have been battling this all week, should I go ahead and get the exam and risk having to spend the weekend running to the ER or at the very least spend the holidays with lots of pain and, as others have claimed, possibly destroy my future?

I really do want to get better because I have seen everything but improvement, I'm a week in in a month long medication to restore myelin to the nerves but it's still not looking any better.

My other option would be to ask for the exam to be postponed at least until next month, and in the meantime get a second opinion and if advised skip the procedure completely.

I have read that sometimes the outcome of the procedure depends on your overall health, healthier bodies recover faster and better, my biggest worry is that my arm is already hurting like it is, my symptoms flare up just by touching some places or flexing more than I should, so I'm dead sure shocking and stabbing it would be very bad, not to mention that the possibility of damaging it permanently scares the hell out of me.

Any advice will be appreciated.

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