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Neurology (Expert Forum)
Muscle twitching, tingling and numbness
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Muscle twitching, tingling and numbness
by tich, May 31, 2004 12:00AM
I'm a fit and healthy 49yo male with tingling and numbness in the feet and toes that started 8 months ago. Twitching in the calf muscles was also noticed about a month later. At that time, I also started getting a burning/prickling feeling in the back of the legs. Went to a neurologist and had a neuro exam plus a full brain/spine MRI, nerve conduction studies in the legs and lots of blood work over a period of a few months. All came back normal except for an elevated blood inflammation marker reading of 20. After 4 months, the neuro said that he couldn't diagnose anything and said not likely to be anything serious like MS or ALS.
More recently I've been getting isolated twitches anywhere on my body. Just a single twitch somewhere and then another one somewhere else about 15-30 minutes later. I just feel these rather than seeing them because I never know where the next one is going to be. On some days they are more frequent and on other days none at all.
The latest worrying thing is two incidents of major intermittent twitching in my left bicep which lasts on and off for about a day and then goes away. The first incident was 6 weeks ago and then another one 2 weeks ago. When the twitching is happening I can stop it by just moving or tensing the muscle.
At the moment, the leg twitching has settled down to fairly constant minor flickering like a bag of worms in various parts of the calves, and the foot/toe tingling/numbness and the leg burning/prickling feelings are also fairly constant. I have no muscle weakness or atrophy. Any ideas?
More recently I've been getting isolated twitches anywhere on my body. Just a single twitch somewhere and then another one somewhere else about 15-30 minutes later. I just feel these rather than seeing them because I never know where the next one is going to be. On some days they are more frequent and on other days none at all.
The latest worrying thing is two incidents of major intermittent twitching in my left bicep which lasts on and off for about a day and then goes away. The first incident was 6 weeks ago and then another one 2 weeks ago. When the twitching is happening I can stop it by just moving or tensing the muscle.
At the moment, the leg twitching has settled down to fairly constant minor flickering like a bag of worms in various parts of the calves, and the foot/toe tingling/numbness and the leg burning/prickling feelings are also fairly constant. I have no muscle weakness or atrophy. Any ideas?
Doctor's Answer
by CCF-Neuro-M.D.-CS, Jun 05, 2004 12:00AM
The normal imaging and nerve conduction tests help to exclude many disorders. There is a condition called benign fasciculation syndrome which causes twitches all over the body at vatious points in time. Also excercise, fatigue, stress, and electrolyte disturbances can cause muscle twitching. Nothing that you have stated clearly points to disorders such as ALS or MS. However, if the symptoms persist, it is reasonable to obtain a second opinion. I would recommend going to an academic center, if you do. Good luck.
I can understand that you are worrying about the things you have,but
these things (twitches,tingling) can come from a lot of things.(even stress)
If you have these feeling will not always say that you have:ALS OR MS.
I can understand how you are feeling because i am almost an expert in these
kind of feelings,i have muscle twitches all over de body and you can’t trust them,
from the left arm to the right arm,from the right arm to my calf.and “zoefff” they are
vanished to come back some day (time) and this for almost two years,but it’s less now.
Tingling,prickling feet ,when it stops the worms are there or the burning spots or the
ants are visiting me. This are all normal nerve feelings when something is “wrong”
All these kind of feeling you can find in:Diabetes,tm,encephalitis,me,stress, .....ect. so, there
are more things as Ms or Als.
Has the neuro told you what that means,blood inflammation! Did the talk about an lp!
Of course i can’t tell you what you have,but i had two neuro exam.3x mri,lp,vep.blood,and the
expert (ms neuro) told me that i had a virus infection,and that virus gave me the same problems as you have. (in neuro talk-viral- encephalomyelitis)
I have no: weakness,balance,dizziness or problems with eyesight!
Greeting from the Netherlands and good luck!
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