Twitching

[michelle2812]

My whole body has been twitching for about 4months. At first it started at my calves then a month later my whole body started twitching. My family has no history of body twitching so im not sure what it can be. Somedays my body twitches alittle bit and other days it twitches alot. It mostly happens when my body is at rest. When my body is in movement it doesn't twitch. Please someone answer back to this question im really worried.

[Dr Sharma]

Hi there.  There are certain causes responsible for muscle twitching like diet deficiency, drug overdose, and side effects of diuretics, corticosteroids, estrogens, exercise, benign twitches, and nervous system conditions like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or ALS, muscle dystrophy, spinal muscular atrophy and myopathy. Your neurologist needs to look into these conditions one by one. The other possible cause could be multiple sclerosis and is a diagnosis of exclusion. The symptoms of multiple sclerosis are loss of balance, muscle spasms, numbness in any area, problems with walking and coordination, tremors in one or more arms and legs. Bowel and bladder symptoms include frequency of micturition, urine leakage, eye symptoms like double vision uncontrollable rapid eye movements, facial pain, painful muscle spasms, tingling, burning in arms or legs, depression, dizziness, hearing loss, fatigue etc. The treatment is essentially limited to symptomatic therapy so the course of action would not change much whether MS has been diagnosed or not. Apart from clinical neurological examination, MRI shows MS as paler areas of demyelination, two different episodes of demyelination separated by one month in at least two different brain locations. Spinal tap is done and CSF electrophoresis reveals oligoclonal bands suggestive of immune activity, which is suggestive but not diagnostic of MS. Demyelinating neurons, transmit nerve signals slower than non-demyelinated ones and can be detected with EP tests. These are visual evoked potentials, brain stem auditory evoked response, and somatosensory evoked potential. Slower nerve responses in any one of these is not confirmatory of MS but can be used to complement diagnosis along with a neurological examination, medical history and an MRI in addition, a spinal tap. Therefore, it would be prudent to consult your neurologist with these concerns.Take care.

[marice45]

Hi Maam,

I've been experiencing muscle twitching for 5 months and im getting worried than ever now. It started when I took exercises and jogging last April 2011. By the end of April and first week of May I already felt the twitching of my muscles all over my body. I felt an extreme twitching and movement at my upper left leg. I seek consultations to a doctor and I was diagnosed for an electrolyte imbalance with low sodium. My sodium level was just normalized by August. My ionized calcium, potassium, sugar were also checked and i was thankful that everything was normal. But until now it's already September i'm still experiencing muscle twitching in my body. and Im getting scared already. I came back to the doctor and advices me to seek consultations to a neurologist. I am just scheduled to see a neurologist tomorrow. I fear to have diagnosed with such neuro disease... I need your advice please.... =(

marice45

[twitcherman]

I have twitched for 9 yes 9 years all over. Arms, legs, face, feet, hands, butt, you name it.  I have a couple of hotspots, left elbow, right quad but I have not seen any weakness anywhere.  The muscles around my left elbow started in 2002 and the twitching comes and goes.  At first I thought for sure I had ALS and would be dead in three years.  Well 9 years later it is no worse.  I'm almost 31 years old.  

[Ndhlp365]

Thank you Carolyn, you are an angel!  Prayers are greatly needed.
Anita

[carolyn707]

Hi Anita,
You know what? I had the same symptoms exactly with much muscle pain in my legs, so I went to the Dr. and he ordered blood work and low and behold I have a vitamin D defiiciency! He has me taking 1000ius of Vit. D daily which I started just today and I understand that it may take a week or more to feel better. If you want more info on the connection between Vit.D deficiency and muscle problems, there is plenty of it on the internet.
One more point....muscle twitching is a major symptom of stress! The more you stress, the more the twitching persists. I had muscle twitchng about 18 years ago at a time of extreme stress for me and it went away after many months on its own. So Sweetie, try to relax maybe even see someone about getting on anti = anxiety meds (which helped me alot with the twitching) and pray.   God's will is to heal you. You will be just fine. And I'm praying for you tonight.
Carolyn

[Ndhlp365]

Your message brought me so much comfort, thank you so much for kind understanding.  You are a very thoughtful person.  I will pray for your neuro visit that you get the answers you are looking for and that it is all ok.

Anita

[mixedblessings]

my heart is breaking for you as this has been part of my symptom repetoire as well. Then along came some new symptoms that scare me even more. i see my neuro next week and may have some explaination for you. of course it may not be the same thing at all.....but you never knkow.
take care,
mixedblessings

[Ndhlp365]

Thanks sooo much for your answer, however, i have had an mri, c spine, blood work, emg, and an eeg 1x last year which showed nothing.  I do notice my leg muscles have gotten smaller, tight and weaker but when i go into the neuro, because i haven't lost any weight to speak of and i can still "push" his hand with my leg muscle, he sends me home.
On a side note, I have taken reglan, levaquin and cipro which they say can also cause these problems but these problem occurred long after stopping all of those meds.  
While everyone has stopped looking, it has been over a year of 24 hour constant muscle twitching day and night, of course more pronounced when resting but always there and I'm getting DESPERATE!  I am crying most every day now and I don't know what to do.  I went to UCLA and the neurologist told me his wife's eye twitched for a year and it went away so he did not testing but the routine in office knocking and send me home.
PLEASE HELP!
Anita

[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.

Muscle twitching appears when the muscle contracts on its own (without nerve stimulation).  Most of the times these symptoms occur without any underlying disorder & they are not harmful or may appear after viral illness/or long term illness. But sometimes this muscle twitching appears as atrophy and weakness of muscle as well. Most likely cause of this twitching with weakness/atrophy of muscle can be when the nerve supplying to body muscles is not functioning properly due to any neurological disorder. If you suffer continuous weakness and notice reduced strength of muscle bulk in areas, please arrange an appointment with a neurologist right away who will evaluate the possibilities here. Hope this information proves helpful to you.
Take Care & Regards!!!

[Ndhlp365]

I have the same thing, please help!