Nerve, muscle testing pinpoints problems
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| Dr. Ron Bingham uses state-of-the-art equipment to test muscles and nerves for irregularities. |
“We see patients who have pain, weakness or numbness in the arm or leg,” says Dr. Bingham, the clinic’s founder.
Dr. Bingham’s clinic primarily tests nerves and muscles for irregularities. “We measure how long it takes an electrical impulse to go from one point to another,” he says. “Abnormal nerves conduct slowly. Muscles will produce abnormal signals when they have been injured.”
Conditions evaluated at the clinic include carpal tunnel syndrome, ulnar neuropathy at the elbow, peripheral neuropathy, cervical and lumbar radiculopathy, individual nerve injuries, and any problem that involves pain, weakness or numbness in the upper or lower limbs
“We perform a full and complete evaluation, whether it is a nerve or muscle problem,” says Dr. Bingham. “We then report the findings directly back to the referring physician. Although we may help the referring physician with treatment options and diagnosis, we are primarily a diagnostic clinic and do not treat the patients who are sent for testing.”
The clinic receives referrals from more than 300 physicians throughout West Tennessee. Area physicians depend on EMG Clinics for reliable and quick results to assist them in the treatment of their patients, he says.
With its main site in Jackson, EMG Clinics of Tennessee also has locations in Dyersburg, Paris, Savannah, Union City and Memphis and regularly sees patients from as far away as Kentucky, Mississippi and Missouri.
With such a high demand for quality nerve and muscle testing, EMG Clinics of Tennessee prides itself with its policy for patient waiting time. “We try to schedule patients so their wait time is less than 20 minutes,” says Donna Wren, office administrator. “Our staff is very friendly. We accept patients with virtually ever type of insurance plan and we try to make same day appointments available.”
EMG Clinics of Tennessee has three technicians certified by the American Association of Electrodiagnostic Technologists (AAET) to help perform the nerve conduction testing. “We are one of few clinics in Tennessee to employ certified nerve conduction technologists,” Dr. Bingham says.
Complementing the certified, professional staff is state-of-the art equipment. “Computers have revolutionized testing,” says Dr. Bingham. “We used to do a lot of things manually, but computers help make measurements of nerve function quickly and accurately. We can better determine what’s wrong.”
The equipment is also mobile. “Our equipment used to be the size of a washing machine,” Dr. Bingham explains. Now, all the instrumentation plugs directly into a laptop sitting on a rolling desk that can be taken anywhere.
Dr. Bingham often has immediate access to test results while the patient is still in the clinic.
Since the summer of 2004, Dr. Bingham and staff also have been treating patients who have diabetic neuropathy. This painful and debilitating condition causes pain and numbness in the feet. Patients are thankful that they now have somewhere to go for treatment. It’s rewarding to hear comments like “you gave my feet back to me” or “I can walk without a walker now,” Dr. Bingham says. This branch of his practice is called Neuropathy Clinics of Tennessee. “It’s rare in medicine to see this degree of success when it comes to treating painful conditions,” he says.