Electroencephalogram (EEG) Test
October 17th 2011 12:24
What is an EEG test?
An electroencephalogram (EEG) is done in a hospital or in a doctor's office by an EEG technologist. The EEG record is read and interpreted by a neurologist specially trained to diagnose and treat disorders affecting the nervous system ().
Your brain is not a stagnant organ in your head. There are constant patterns of electrical activity going on. Under certain circumstances these patterns are disrupted with various abnormal effects on the patient. The EEG tests measures and record the electrical activity of your brain.
When is the test performed
An electroencephalogram (EEG) may be done to:
- Diagnose epilepsy and determine what type of seizures are occurring;
- Check for problems in a case where a patient lost consciousness or to diagnose dementia;
- Help establish the patient’s chance of recovery after a change in consciousness;
- Find out if a person who is in a coma is brain-dead;
- Study sleep disorders, such as narcolepsy;
- Determine whether or not a person experiences a physical or mental health problem as result of a spinal cord or nervous system defect or abnormality.
How is it done?
EEG refers to the recording of the brain's spontaneous electrical activity over a short period of time, usually 20–40 minutes. The test is done by placing multiple electrodes - sensors on your head. These electrodes, or camera, are attached to your head and hooked by wires to a computer. The computer records your brain's electrical activity on the screen or on paper as wavy lines. the changes in the normal pattern of the brain's electrical activity are recorded to show abnormal activity as in seizures, ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) in children, during ETC (Electro Convulsive Treatment) done by psychiatrists to monitor brain activity during light anaesthesia while treating patients suffering from more serious depression, etc.
During the test
- You will be asked to either lie on your back on a bed or table or relax in a chair with your eyes closed;
- The EEG technologist will attach 17 to 21 flat metal discs (electrodes) to different places on your head;
- A sticky paste may be applied to your head to hold the electrodes in place;
- A cap with fixed electrodes may be placed on your head instead of individual electrodes;
- During the test you will be asked to close or open your eyes; close and open your jaw to record different activity in the brain waves under different circumstances;
- There is no need for either panic or nervousness as it is a painless experience.
How To Prepare for the EEG test
- Your doctor needs to know what medications you take on a regular basis. He may instruct you to stop taking certain medicines (such as sedatives and tranquilizers, muscle relaxants, sleeping aids, or medicines used to treat seizures) before the test. These medicines may affect your brain's electrical activity and cause incorrect test results;
- Avoid drinks that have caffeine - coffee, tea, cola, and chocolate - for 12 hours before the test;
- Wash your hair with shampoo and rinse it in clean water before the test. Don’t use sprays, oils, creams, and lotions during or after the wash;
- Where cream is used by the technologist to have the electrodes stick to your head, you will need to wash your hair after the test again;
- Follow the doctor’s instructions carefully to ensure the EEG records the correct information;
- Ask the doctor beforehand whether or not you will be given any medication before or after the test that may affect your driving ability. If yes, ensure that you have someone to drive you home safely afterwards.
Risks
- The EEG test is a very safe procedure. The electrical activity of your brain is recorded, but at no time is any electrical current put into your body. That is the difference between an EEG and a ETC - electroconvulsive therapy – done by a qualified psychiatrist where electrical shocks are applied as part of serious depression treatment. ;
- If you have a seizure disorder such as epilepsy, a seizure may be triggered by the flashing lights or by hyperventilation. Again, don’t panic, the technologist is trained to take care of you during the seizure.
Conclusion
I hope you now have a better understanding of the EEG test, how it is done, what to expect and how to prepare for the test. This is another one of the modern medical profession’s tools to ensure, sometimes cure or deal with alth problems as result of faulty brain waves.
An electroencephalogram (EEG) is done in a hospital or in a doctor's office by an EEG technologist. The EEG record is read and interpreted by a neurologist specially trained to diagnose and treat disorders affecting the nervous system ().
Your brain is not a stagnant organ in your head. There are constant patterns of electrical activity going on. Under certain circumstances these patterns are disrupted with various abnormal effects on the patient. The EEG tests measures and record the electrical activity of your brain.
When is the test performed
An electroencephalogram (EEG) may be done to:
- Diagnose epilepsy and determine what type of seizures are occurring;
- Check for problems in a case where a patient lost consciousness or to diagnose dementia;
- Help establish the patient’s chance of recovery after a change in consciousness;
- Find out if a person who is in a coma is brain-dead;
- Study sleep disorders, such as narcolepsy;
- Determine whether or not a person experiences a physical or mental health problem as result of a spinal cord or nervous system defect or abnormality.
How is it done?
EEG refers to the recording of the brain's spontaneous electrical activity over a short period of time, usually 20–40 minutes. The test is done by placing multiple electrodes - sensors on your head. These electrodes, or camera, are attached to your head and hooked by wires to a computer. The computer records your brain's electrical activity on the screen or on paper as wavy lines. the changes in the normal pattern of the brain's electrical activity are recorded to show abnormal activity as in seizures, ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) in children, during ETC (Electro Convulsive Treatment) done by psychiatrists to monitor brain activity during light anaesthesia while treating patients suffering from more serious depression, etc.
During the test
- You will be asked to either lie on your back on a bed or table or relax in a chair with your eyes closed;
- The EEG technologist will attach 17 to 21 flat metal discs (electrodes) to different places on your head;
- A sticky paste may be applied to your head to hold the electrodes in place;
- A cap with fixed electrodes may be placed on your head instead of individual electrodes;
- During the test you will be asked to close or open your eyes; close and open your jaw to record different activity in the brain waves under different circumstances;
- There is no need for either panic or nervousness as it is a painless experience.
How To Prepare for the EEG test
- Your doctor needs to know what medications you take on a regular basis. He may instruct you to stop taking certain medicines (such as sedatives and tranquilizers, muscle relaxants, sleeping aids, or medicines used to treat seizures) before the test. These medicines may affect your brain's electrical activity and cause incorrect test results;
- Avoid drinks that have caffeine - coffee, tea, cola, and chocolate - for 12 hours before the test;
- Wash your hair with shampoo and rinse it in clean water before the test. Don’t use sprays, oils, creams, and lotions during or after the wash;
- Where cream is used by the technologist to have the electrodes stick to your head, you will need to wash your hair after the test again;
- Follow the doctor’s instructions carefully to ensure the EEG records the correct information;
- Ask the doctor beforehand whether or not you will be given any medication before or after the test that may affect your driving ability. If yes, ensure that you have someone to drive you home safely afterwards.
Risks
- The EEG test is a very safe procedure. The electrical activity of your brain is recorded, but at no time is any electrical current put into your body. That is the difference between an EEG and a ETC - electroconvulsive therapy – done by a qualified psychiatrist where electrical shocks are applied as part of serious depression treatment. ;
- If you have a seizure disorder such as epilepsy, a seizure may be triggered by the flashing lights or by hyperventilation. Again, don’t panic, the technologist is trained to take care of you during the seizure.
Conclusion
I hope you now have a better understanding of the EEG test, how it is done, what to expect and how to prepare for the test. This is another one of the modern medical profession’s tools to ensure, sometimes cure or deal with alth problems as result of faulty brain waves.
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