EEG vs ECG
EEG is an abbreviation of electro encephalogram, which is a method of evaluating brain’s electric activity. The ECG, an abbreviation for electro cardiograph is an electrical recording of the heart and is used in the investigation of heart disease.
EEG means electro encephalogram. This is a method of evaluating brain’s electric activity. A set of electrodes will be placed in your head and the terminals will be connected to a machine which will draw the graph. Brain is a complex wiring of neurons. The impulses in the nerve tissue will be conducted as electric impulses. These are minor currents; this can be evaluated by the EEG.
ECG is a common word you may have heard of. Even you may have taken your own ECG, if you have got chest pain previously. You may have noticed taking ECG by placing electrodes in the chest and some in the hands and feet. In cardiac muscles the impulses passes as electric signals (that’s why you are advised to keep your phones away from heart, especially if you are with a cardiac pacemaker). This electric activity will be assessed by ECG graph. From the ECG, changes in the arrhythmias (the irregular beating activity of the heart) cardiac block (the block in passing impulses) from SA node (where the impulses usually starts- pace maker) to ventricles and ischemic changes (the changes due to reduced blood flow to heart) can be identified. The enlargement of the left ventricle (the chamber which pumps out the blood from heart) also can be identified in the ECG.
EEG is usually taken to identify the epilepsy (the seizure disease), sleeping disorders (narcolepsy) and sometimes to identify the alterations in conscious level.
EEG and ECG can be taken by the technician and a specialist doctor will interpret and report it.
ECG can be taken without a special preparation. But EEG may need some special preparations. Some drugs (like sleeping tablets) may need to be stopped. The head should be clean and free of dirt or oil, (may need to wash with shampoo) And the duration to stay with the machine is longer than that of ECG.
Basically ECG and EEG are assessing the electrical changes in the heart and brain. But they differ by number of electrodes, duration and preparation.