EEG Test services: accurate, reliable, and fast results

What is a EEG Test?

An electroencephalogram (EEG) is a test that detects electrical activity in your brain using small, metal discs (electrodes) attached to your scalp. Your brain cells communicate via electrical impulses, even when you’re asleep. This activity shows up as wavy lines on an EEG recording. An EEG testing is one of the main diagnostic tests for epilepsy and many other brain disorders.

How EEG Testing Helps

The EEG brain test helps your doctor understand brain activity and detect any abnormalities that could indicate epilepsy or other brain issues. The test is painless, and once completed, the results help guide further treatment. The neurologist will review the EEG study and explain the findings, helping you take the next steps in your care.

How to prepare for you EEG test? (EEG preparation)

You or a close family member will be asked to sign a legal document called a consent form. It gives healthcare providers permission to do the procedure. It also explains the problems that may happen, and your choices. Make sure all your questions are answered before you sign this form.

Food and medications:

Avoid anything with caffeine on the day of the test because it can affect the test results.

Take your usual medications unless instructed otherwise.

Other precautions:

Wash your hair the night before or the day of the test, but don’t use conditioners, hair creams, sprays or styling gels. Hair products can make it harder for the sticky patches that hold the electrodes to adhere to your scalp.

If you’re supposed to sleep during your EEG test, your doctor might ask you to sleep less or avoid to sleep at all the night before your test.

What are the risks of EEG testing?

EEG is a safe and painless procedure. Sometimes seizures are intentionally triggered in people with epilepsy during the test, but appropriate medical care is provided if needed.

An EEG scan is generally very safe and painless. However, there are a few things to keep in mind, especially for parents considering an EEG test for kids:

Mild Discomfort: The EEG itself doesn’t cause pain. The small metal discs, or electrodes, simply record brain activity and don’t send out any signals. However, some people may experience mild irritation where the electrodes are attached, particularly if the skin is scrubbed to improve contact.
Seizure Risk: For patients with epilepsy, an EEG may occasionally trigger a seizure. This happens because certain activities during the test, such as flashing lights or asking the patient to hyperventilate, can bring on a seizure. If this occurs,healthcare staff are on hand to manage the situation safely.
Allergies or Sensitivity: A small number of people might have skin sensitivity to the paste or adhesive used to attach the electrodes. If your child or you have sensitive skin, mention this to the technician ahead of time.

Overall, EEG monitoring is considered low-risk, with no long-term effects or dangers for most people

What do I expect during a EEG test?

During the test you will feel little or no discomfort during an EEG. The electrodes don’t transmit any sensations. They just record your brain waves.

Here are some things you can expect to happen during an EEG:

A technician measures your head and marks your scalp with a special pencil to indicate where to attach the electrodes. Those spots on your scalp might be scrubbed with a gritty cream to improve the quality of the recording.

A technician attaches discs (electrodes) to your scalp using a special adhesive. Sometimes, an elastic cap fitted with electrodes is used instead. The electrodes are connected with wires to an instrument that amplifies the brain waves and records them on computer equipment.

Once the electrodes are in place, an EEG typically takes up to 60 minutes. Testing for certain conditions require you to sleep during the test. In that case, the test can be longer.

You relax in a comfortable position with your eyes closed during the test. At various times, the technician might ask you to open and close your eyes, perform a few simple calculations, read a paragraph, look at a picture, breathe deeply for a few minutes, or look at a flashing light.

Video is routinely recorded during the EG. Your body motions are captured by a video camera while the EEG records your brain waves. This combined recording can help your doctor diagnose and treat your condition.

Ambulatory EEGs (aEEGs), which allow for longer monitoring outside an office or hospital setting, are in limited use. This test can record brain activity over several days, which increases the chances of catching any seizure activity. However, compared to inpatient video-EEG monitoring, an ambulatory EEG is not as good at determining the difference between epileptic seizures and nonepileptic seizures.

Please note:

Electro-encephalography (EEG) studies are either performed at the Neurology Mobile System Associates offices in 10661 SW 88 Th St, Suite 104 MIAMI, FL 33176, or in another Medical Office, appointed for your convenience – Please arrive at least 15 minutes before your appointment – If you anticipate being late please call to reschedule at 305 2707771 – If you need to cancel your appointment, please do so at the same phone number, at least 24 hours in advance.