Muscle Twitching/Joint Cracking

I'm a 26 year old male who's trying to figure out what exactly is happening to me. I'm hoping someone on this forum can be of some help. I have been having feelings of fatigue (and a single instance of cramping) in my right shoulder since last August, with increasing pains in my wrists and forearms in the late fall. I had all but assumed that these were caused by my nearly constant typing (I'm a journalist and screenwriter). For the past two months I've been experiencing muscle twitches. I first noticed them in my left thigh around Christmas and soon after the new year they spread all over my body. For awhile they were constant (20 or so an hour, some just one instance, others that would occur 10 or more straight times continuously).

I got quite scared that I had MS or ALS after googling the symptoms, but after seeing a pair of neurologists, that fear has retreated. I had a clean NCV and EMG. They didn't even suggest I had carpel tunnel, for which I had already begun wearing wrist splints and altering my typing angle. I'm scheduled for another EMG next week, but in the meantime the fatigue and twitching have mostly subsided.

In the past week, coinciding with a reduction in the amount of twitching I'm suffering, I've noticed that my joints are cracking and popping at an alarmingly consistent level. Ankles, knees, elbows, wrists, shoulders, you name it, they crack. For a 26 year old, this all seems increasingly weird. I generally feel like I'm in good health, but these various ailments have been driving me batty. Any ideas?

[Dr. A. Srivastava]

Thank you for your question. Although without being able to examine you, I can not offer you the specific advice on diagnosis and treatment that you need, but I would try to provide you some relevant information about your health concern.

Usually, muscle cramps are common in salt imbalance, circulatory problems, with certain medications, excessive cold temperature, whilst you are relaxed or resting, during or after exercise, or after sitting in an uncomfortable position and sometimes with nerve impingement. Most of the times, they are not related to any underlying disorder but needs checking out with a doctor to assess that your leg circulation and nerve supply are working appropriately. Meanwhile, I would suggest eat a diet rich in fruit and vegetables, vitamin E & zinc supplement, drink at least eight glasses of water in a day and avoid smoking. Hope this helps.

[BrandonHarris]

Thanks for the advice. The one instance of cramping isn't the issue however; its the constant, if not painful joint cracking in almost all my joints. At my age it seems very uncommon and considering the other symptoms (fasciculations, occasional feelings of muscle twitching, carpel tunnelesque wrist and lower arm stiffness and occasional pain) I'm left wondering if they could be connected...

[natashahoneypot]

Hi I am having exact same problem. I think its the tendons which are cracking but i don't really know. my doc says its tendons wear and tear. once a thread goes it doesn't grow back but apparently new ones grow. you have to see physiotherapist. to strengthen tendons. the other pains i have been seeing alternative therapist, she says certain ways that the way we live our lives causes energy blocks and wear and tear. so eat well and well im craving sunshine.
did you have a flu jab. I was wondering if my probs where related to flu jab.
yrs n.