contraction fascics/ALS?

  : : Hi, I have a question about fascics.  Please tell me how regular fasics are different from "contraction fascics".  I have both and have had them for three years.  I am concerned about the "contraction fascics".  when I tighten a muscle, I sometimes will get a twitch in that muscle after I relax it.  Is this more of an indication of ALS twitches rather than benign?  Can benign fascics cause fingers and toes to move also? I have had no other changes in three years.  Please help.
  : Dear John,
  : Contraction fasiculations aka "benign fasciulations" typically occur only after contraction of a muscle and are not associated with weakness or atrophy of the muscles.  Yes, this is different from ALS fasics, in which the fasics arise spontaneously in various muscle groups. The muscles are weak and atrophied. ALS is a progressive disorder, that is, symptoms continue to develop over time.  If you have had fasics for 3 years without any additional signs or symptoms this is probably not ALS and most likely representative of the benign varient. Good Luck.
  Thank you fro your explanation.  I understand weakness, but what exactly is atrophied muscles and what would they appear like?  also I get BOTH contraction fadscics and spontaneious.  Any conern after three years with still no other symptoms?
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" Atrophied " muscles are muscles which are shrunken / wasted, they are
obviously smaller to look at than normal, they are markedly weaker as
a result.
In the absence of weakness or atrophy over a time period of three years,
I would not be concerned about ALS, regardless of the type of fasiculations.
You  sholud keep the fact that while fasiculations are one of the signs of
ALS, they are seen in any disorder in which there is increased excitability
of muscle membranes, any disorder where there is a break in the nerve supply
between the spinal cord and a muscle cell, and also in normal people.
The absence of progression over this long preiod (period) outrules ALS.