Electroencephalogram (Eeg)

What is an electroencephalogram?

An EEG is a test used to measure the electrical activity of the brain. It is a painless examination. Our friendly technician will place simple electrodes on the surface of your scalp. The electrodes are held by a water-soluble gel. There are no needles involved. These electrodes are connected to a computer which shows the brain’s electrical activity as waves on the computer screen. During this time, you are sitting relaxed in a chair with your eyes closed. This test lasts anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. The pattern of waves can be affected by metabolic disturbances, old age, seizures, and other conditions. The physician will later thoroughly interpret all the information to let you know what the result is. 

How to prepare for an Electroencephalogram

To prepare for the EEG and get the best result, we politely ask you to do the following so we can get the most accurate test result:

1. Please arrive 15 minutes prior to your test time.
2. Do not sleep more than 6 hours the night before your test. Having less sleep increases the yield of the study.
3. Take your normal medications the night before and the day of the test as you normally do.
4. Eat the morning of the test if you prefer to, but avoid caffeine.
5. Please come with no products in your hair; so no gels, oils, hair sprays, etc. These will reduce the accuracy of the test.
6. After the study you may likely want to shampoo your hair.