Neurophysiology testing in Islamabad
EEG for seizures and blackouts; nerve conduction studies and EMG for numbness, tingling and weakness. Both measure electrical activity rather than taking a picture.
Price on request
- Opening hours
- Open 24 hours, 7 days a week
- At the centre
- These studies need the equipment here
About neurophysiology
Neurophysiology is the branch of testing that listens rather than looks. Where an MRI shows the structure of the brain and nerves, these studies measure how they are actually working — the electrical rhythms of the brain, and the speed and strength of a signal travelling down a nerve into a muscle.
An EEG records the brain's background electrical activity through electrodes placed on the scalp. It is the study for seizures, unexplained blackouts and episodes of altered awareness. Nerve conduction studies time a small pulse travelling along a nerve, which localises exactly where a nerve is compressed or damaged — carpal tunnel and diabetic neuropathy being the two most common findings. EMG samples the electrical activity of the muscle itself.
Nothing in either study passes into your body. The electrodes on your scalp only listen, and the pulses used in a nerve conduction study are brief and stay at the surface.
When your doctor sends you here
- A seizure, a blackout or an episode nobody has explained
- Numbness, pins and needles or burning in the hands or feet
- Weakness or wasting in a hand, arm or leg
- Suspected carpal tunnel syndrome, or nerve pain after an injury
- Diabetic neuropathy being assessed or monitored
How to prepare
- For an EEG, come with clean dry hair and no oil, gel or spray — the electrodes need contact with the scalp.
- You may be asked to sleep less than usual the night before an EEG. If so we will tell you when booking; do not do it unprompted.
- For nerve conduction studies, avoid moisturiser or lotion on the hands and feet that day.
- Keep taking your usual medication unless your neurologist has specifically told you otherwise.
- Tell the technologist if you have a pacemaker or any implanted stimulator before a nerve conduction study.
Tests and scans in neurophysiology
Electroencephalography (EEG)
Records the brain's electrical activity, principally for epilepsy.
- 3–5 working days
- No fasting
Nerve Conduction Study & EMG
Tests how well nerves conduct and how muscles respond, for numbness and weakness.
- 3–5 working days
- No fasting
Common questions
Does a nerve conduction study hurt?
The pulses feel like a brief tap or a twitch, and the sensation stops the instant the pulse does. Most people describe it as odd rather than painful. Where an EMG needle is used, it is a brief sharp scratch.
How long does an EEG take?
Around thirty to sixty minutes, most of it spent lying quietly while the recording runs. You may be asked to breathe deeply for a period, or to look at a flashing light, because some patterns only appear under those conditions.
Will an EEG tell me whether I have epilepsy?
It is one piece of the picture, not the whole answer. A normal EEG does not rule epilepsy out, and an abnormal one is interpreted alongside your history by a neurologist. The report goes to the doctor who asked for it.
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Not sure which test you need?
Call 0312 38 99 99 and our team will help you choose, or search the full catalogue yourself — no account needed.