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Neurology (Expert Forum)
Anxiety?
This forum is for questions and support regarding neurology issues such as: Alzheimer's Disease, ALS, Autism, Brain Cancer, Cerebral Palsy, Chronic Pain, Epilepsy, Fibromyalgia, Headaches, MS, Neuralgia, Neuropathy, Parkinson's Disease, RSD, Sleep Disorders, Stroke, Traumatic Brain Injury
Anxiety?
by twitchy, Mar 07, 2001 12:00AM
I am male and in my early twenties and I have developed some strange symptoms that are very annoying. First and formost I must state that for the last two months my life has been very stressful. In fact it is probably the worst its ever been. Though now I am coming out of it. Anyway, I have had little muscle twitches all over my body that began in the corners of my eyes and now they have moved all over my body, these started about two months ago. About two weeks ago when things reached their worst my throat felt like there was a lump in it and all my muscles in my neck and throat were very tight. Further, for about a week in feb I would wake up each night in a sweat. Now that life is calming down the symptoms seem to be fading but I am still worried. I am not nor have I ever been on any medication.
I had a brain MRI in the beginning of february as well as a neuro exam and all was normal. In fact the docter described it as extremely normal. I guess my question is should I be worried about such serious things as MS or ALS? Can anxiety and stress cause such symptoms?
Thank you for your time....I am very grateful
Doctor's Answer
by CCF Neuro[P]-M.D.-RPS, Mar 07, 2001 12:00AM
Dear Twitchy:
Sorry to hear about your symptoms. Your symptoms do not have the flavor of either MS or ALS. The normal neurological exam, no muscle weakness with your fasciculations pretty much rules out ALS. It would be very unusual for MS to present as fasciculation all over the body as an initial symptom. Yes, stress and anxiety can cause symptoms or at least make the symptoms worse. It is difficult to say whether anxiety or stress in themselves can cause fasciculations.
Sincerely,
CCF Neuro MD
Sorry to hear about your symptoms. Your symptoms do not have the flavor of either MS or ALS. The normal neurological exam, no muscle weakness with your fasciculations pretty much rules out ALS. It would be very unusual for MS to present as fasciculation all over the body as an initial symptom. Yes, stress and anxiety can cause symptoms or at least make the symptoms worse. It is difficult to say whether anxiety or stress in themselves can cause fasciculations.
Sincerely,
CCF Neuro MD
Member Comments (3)
by allice28, May 16, 2001 12:00AM
Every now and again I peruse this site. There seem to be so many of us Benign fasciculation syndrome (BFS)sufferers. I have been a sufferer for 13 Months - and I remember the day it started as if it were yesterday. I had been experiencing the usual annoying eye lid twich and then one night my inner thigh started to twich. It carried on the next day and then went away for a week. When it returned, it bought a whole load of new twiches with it in EVERY muscle of my body. I have nights when sleep is impossible, due to relentless twiching, and days when I've been so distracted that my work has suffered. Yes, I too have had all the neurologucal tests and been given the all clear bar the BFS diagnosis. Also, working in the nutrition industry , I have had access to all sorts of supplements, but to no avail. While I can offer no comfort to fellow sufferers, what I can say is that thank God for the Internet, otherwise I would think I was the only sufferer and would have been going out of my mind.
by allice28, May 16, 2001 12:00AM
Every now and again I peruse this site. There seem to be so many of us Benign fasciculation syndrome (BFS)sufferers. I have been a sufferer for 13 Months - and I remember the day it started as if it were yesterday. I had been experiencing the usual annoying eye lid twich and then one night my inner thigh started to twich. It carried on the next day and then went away for a week. When it returned, it bought a whole load of new twiches with it in EVERY muscle of my body. I have nights when sleep is impossible, due to relentless twiching, and days when I've been so distracted that my work has suffered. Yes, I too have had all the neurologucal tests and been given the all clear bar the BFS diagnosis. Also, working in the nutrition industry , I have had access to all sorts of supplements, but to no avail. While I can offer no comfort to fellow sufferers, what I can say is that thank God for the Internet, otherwise I would think I was the only sufferer and would have been going out of my mind.
