Was referred to the Cleveland Clinic by my PCP due to my BFS diagnosis in June 2013. I think he did this because he had never heard of BFS. Anyway, my first appointment was Sept. 30th for a clinical evaluation. Passed all strength tests and only showed brisk reflexes bilaterally. Left hand showed some atrophy in the thenar muscle, without weakness. Because of periodic numbness in the pinky and ring fingers, they suspected possible C-spine disc problems. October 1st, I had a very extensive EMG/NCS. They tested 22 muscles on the left side. The neurologist called me a couple days later and said that the EMG was negative for any signs of MND. They sent me for an MRI which showed mild disc bulges in C2 through C6 with stenosis in C5-C6 disc. Neurologist indicated this was not serious enough for surgery, however.
Today, I got a copy of the EMG report and am feeling very nervous. I will post what the report said and would appreciate anyone's opinion. I don't want to keep chasing a diagnosis but this has me worried. It states:
1. Fasciculation potentials in 19 of 22 muscles examined
2. Reduced recruitment patterns and chronic neurogenic motor unit potential changes in the C8-T1 myotomes. The recruitment patterns are characterized by motor unit potentials firing rapidly during attempted maximum voluntary contraction. There is no evidence of active motor fiber loss. These findings are nonspecific but are consistent with a lesion of the cervical instraspinal canal affecting the roots/segments at these levels. (BUT THE MRI DID NOT SUPPORT THIS????)
3. Normal sensory and motor nerve conduction studies including normal motor responses of the median and ulnar nerves with proximal points of stimulation (axilla and Erb's point). There is no definite evidence of a conduction block or differential slowing at any of these points of stimulation.
"This constellation of findings is suggestive of an intraspinal canal lesion affecting the C8/T1 myotomes. The normal motor amplitudes recording from the abductor pollicis brevis and adductor digiti minimi occuring in the setting of reduced recruitment patterns recorded from these muscles raises the possibility of a proximally situated conduction block, proximal to Erb's point. The chronic motor fiber loss changes in these muslces clearly indicates an axon loss process but there is no evidence of active or ongoing motor fiber loss at this time. These findings are insufficient for a diagnosis of widespread disorder of motor fibers like that seen in motor neuron disease."
Those last two sentences scare the hell out of me and confuse me at the same time, especially since the MRI did not show problems with the C8 disk. I would greatly appreciate anyone's opinion on this.