The use of triggered electromyography has grown widely in the field of surgical neurophysiology over the past several decades. Methods to identify and avoid injury to peripheral nerves are used in both cranial and spinal procedures. These techniques vary from the identification of an unknown neural structure to the electrical measurement of safe distance from a spinal root to the elicitation of a complex reflex circuit, ensuring the functional integrity of brainstem structures. These nerves have capacitive properties to them, which influence their excitability and, if understood properly, can be used to identify their specific components.