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Neurology (Expert Forum)
muscle twitching
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muscle twitching
by Nikki16, Nov 13, 2005 12:00AM
I have had for 3yrs now muscle twitchig in my legs on a everyday basis. Its now starting in my arms. I have had nerve condution test and mri's, eveything comes back normal. They want me to have a spinal tap to check for M.S. I have had 2 spinals in 1988 and dont want another one. My question is: Could spinal menegettis back in 1988 cause the problems I have now, or the spinal taps that I had to diagnose it. During the 2nd. spinal tap I did straighten out. D0 you know what I should be lookin for in a diagnosis. I am 37 yrs. with the daily twitching I get pain in my legs and low back. I have fallen at times, when there was just an instant I couldnt feel my legs.If I stand on my toes or try to wear heels, my toes tingle and go numb. Please help.
Nikki
Nikki
Doctor's Answer
by CCF-Neuro-M.D.-PW, Nov 21, 2005 12:00AM
It is unlikely that the spinal taps caused your current symptoms.
Muscle twtiching can be from a wide variety of causes, and is most commonly benign and related to exercise, exposure to cold, certain medications or an overactive throid gland. Less commonly it can be from a pinched nerve or widened spinal canal. It may be worth having an MRI spine to look for a widened spinal canal or adhesions related to the previous meningitis or pinched nerves to the legs(although I suspect the test to not show this). Even less commonly it is from viral infections of the spinal cord, ALS etc.
Muscle twtiching can be from a wide variety of causes, and is most commonly benign and related to exercise, exposure to cold, certain medications or an overactive throid gland. Less commonly it can be from a pinched nerve or widened spinal canal. It may be worth having an MRI spine to look for a widened spinal canal or adhesions related to the previous meningitis or pinched nerves to the legs(although I suspect the test to not show this). Even less commonly it is from viral infections of the spinal cord, ALS etc.
I am not a doctor, but I have symptoms similar to yours. I have had fasciculations (along with paresthesias) for six months. I don't know exactly what's causing mine or yours, but I don't think you should be worried about MS, especially if your MRIs have been normal. I have read multiple times, including posts from the docs on this board, that fasciculations are not a common symptom of MS. Here are some comments that might help reassure you:
"Lower motor neuron signs such as fasciculations do not result from MS."
Source: http://www.mscare.org/journal/a0109/page_01.cfm
"Muscle fasciculations are usually not a part of MS. MS is an upper motor neuron disease and this type of central nervous system problem does not give the symptoms of muscle fasciculations."
Source: http://www.medhelp.org/forums/neuro/messages/31162.html
"I think that there are several reasons not to think that [the poster has] MS. First is the negative MRI. Actually, most people to come to the neurologist with complaints that seem like MS, who actually end up with the diagnosis of MS have MRI changes in the brain. They also have abnormal visual evoked potentials. The symptoms of muscle fasciculations is also not common in MS, especially as a presenting sign."
Source: http://medhelp.org/forums/neuro/messages/31306a.html
Good luck!
-Everett
Have you had your B12 level checked? If so, what kind of test did you have done? Normal serum B12 tests that most local labs do can be misleading for B12 deficiency. Low serum levels will always be present in someone who is B12 deficient because of diet (such as malnourished children in impoverished regions or some strict vegans), but people with malapsorption problems (which is most non-vegans in the developed world) *may* have high levels in their serum which is going unused by their bodies. There can be things that you consume that can falsely inflate your serum B12, and there can be reasons why you're not absorbing it. Some tests that can help are homocysteine and MMA, as these will often be elevated in people with B12 deficiency. There is also a Spectracell test that measure the functional intracellular deficiency of B12 in your lymphocytes, which is probably the best way to determine if you have a B12 deficiency.
Have you been tested for heavy metal toxicity?
Have you been tested for thyroid and adrenal function?
I had bacterial spinal meningitis when I was a kid. My entire life I've had weird neurological-type symptoms, many unexplained. I have twitching all over, and have for years. It comes and goes, but usually resurfaces during times of intense stress or change. If you've had EMG's and they've come back normal, then you're probably ok, but that's for your doctor to decide. Although many doctors don't seem to think much of it, I think that having a disease that effects your spine in such a way as meningitis can cause all kinds of issues for people down the road. Good luck to you, and I hope everything turns out fine.