Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

Twitches and Muscle Fatigue

I am 29 and rather healthy, but I have had some very concerning symptoms.   It started about three months ago with a twitch in the lower lid of my left eye.  The eye twitch continues.  If I yawn or squint, it twitches for about 20-30 seconds.  I have also been experiencing twitching on in my chin and a buzzing/pulsing feeling at the tip of my tongue.  These syptoms come and go but are present every day.  No specific triggering event seems to be causing this.  Additionally, I have experienced fatigue in the jaw muscles when chewing hard food(grapenuts eg), and yesterday, my cheeks were fatigued as if I had been smiling all day (which I had not).  I have noticed subectively that my lips and jaw sometimes feel tight (as if I had come in from the cold).  I have also experienced twitches in the bicep and quad. muscles on the right and left sides.  I have not noticed any real weakness, but now that I am "monitoring", every little stumble or dropping of a spoon becomes suspicious.

  I have been evaluated by my PCP and am returning for a follow up tomorrow.  My questions are 1) Does this sound like ALS, MS or similar?  I am very concerned about having some awful condition.  2) I made my PCP promise to send me to a nuero for follow up testing.  What should I make sure that the nuero covers?  MRI? EMG?  I would like to have your advice on what steps I should take in assisting my PCP and nuero in diagnosing this condition.  Thank you in advance for your assistance.  
4 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
Avatar universal
Chris,
are you now or have you been exposed to any chemicals such as pesticides,organophosphates [e.g., tick/animal dip or topicals on animals fur, mosquito spray,], bug sprays, lawn fertilizers, chemical weeders, all of which does NOT dissipate with time, but instead concentrates in patio stone, brick, lawn, soil, tarmac, cement, and when exposed to heat/sun releases toxic gas for years, foam/artifical materials pillow, new car, artifical foam under carpets/artificial fiber carpets, chemicals in beauty products including hair products as well as skin products, ...

all of which can cause neurological tremours and/or weakness or muscles, numbness, nausea, dizziness, cognitive/memory difficulties...

There are many chemicals readily available, used, many imported, which were once considered dangerous controlled substances, but since the US government has become so lax about controlling chemicals, all manners of dangerous materials which are toxic to the body are floating about, available over the counter.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Chris,
are you now or have you been exposed to any chemicals such as pesticides,organophosphates [e.g., tick/animal dip or topicals on animals fur, mosquito spray,], bug sprays, lawn fertilizers, chemical weeders, all of which does NOT dissipate with time, but instead concentrates in patio stone, brick, lawn, soil, tarmac, cement, and when exposed to heat/sun releases toxic gas for years, foam/artifical materials pillow, new car, artifical foam under carpets/artificial fiber carpets, chemicals in beauty products including hair products as well as skin products, ...

all of which can cause neurological tremours and/or weakness or muscles, numbness, nausea, dizziness, cognitive/memory difficulties...

There are many chemicals readily available, used, many imported, which were once considered dangerous controlled substances, but since the US government has become so lax about controlling chemicals, all manners of dangerous materials which are toxic to the body are floating about, available over the counter.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I appreciate your answering my questions.  My PCP suggested a CPK test and took some blood.  If that test is negative, do you still think an EMG is necessary or is the CPK evidence enough that there is not muscle degenration.  Any help is much appreciated.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Given your age, overall health status, accompanying symptoms, and conspicuous absence of more worrisome symptoms such as generalized weakness and wasting of muscles or swallowing/speech problems, it's unlikely that these symptoms represent ALS.  MS is also less likely, although there is a relatively uncommon manifestation of MS that presents with facial muscle rippling, (feels like there 's a bag of worms underneath the skin and is easily picked up by EMG as a specific electrical pattern). One consideration is a syndrome called benign fasciculation syndrome that many people experience and is characterized by muscle twitching in the absence of nay serious neuromuscular disease. A formal neurological exam should help your docs point you in the right diagnostic direction, but the test of choice is probably going to be an EMG in your case.  They can do facial muscles, too, if your neuro feels this is important in your particular case. Good luck.
Helpful - 0

You are reading content posted in the Neurology Forum

Popular Resources
Find out how beta-blocker eye drops show promising results for acute migraine relief.
In this special Missouri Medicine report, doctors examine advances in diagnosis and treatment of this devastating and costly neurodegenerative disease.
Here are 12 simple – and fun! – ways to boost your brainpower.
Discover some of the causes of dizziness and how to treat it.
Discover the common causes of headaches and how to treat headache pain.
Two of the largest studies on Alzheimer’s have yielded new clues about the disease