twiching

[ayan ray]

thanks for providing this wonderful service. It is a great help to lay people like us.
Well my problem mignt not be a problem at all. I experience this strange twiching of muscles. It is not frequent, it is infrequent actually. Sometimes they don't happen for monthes, sometimes they happen almost every day. Any part of the body can twich e.g. the eyelids, the fingers or the calf muscles. Is it a sign of something more serious? Do I need to get a EMG done? Is there any chance it might lead to anything more serious like ALS?

[CCF Neuro[P] MD,RPS]

Dear jennie:

I am sorry to hear about your twitching.  With a normal EMG and labs (they were normal weren't they, such as vitamin B12, CBC, etc?) the most likely etiology of your twitches is something called benign fasciculations.  We are not sure what causes them, but they are real muscle twitches.  They will go away on their own and for the most part are not treatable with medicaitons.  Some people find partial relief with benzodiazepines.  They are worst with fatigue, anxiety etc.  There is not much to do, but try to live life through them.

CCF Neuro MD

[Jennie]

I wonder if you could help me. For seven years I have experienced visibletwitching and tingling in every part of my body. It started in my hands and feet and despite having two EMGs, which were normal, it continues. My hands now feel really strange and I tingle when walking any distance but the worst symptom is a terrible 'nervy aching' pain. My muscles, especially around my neck and lower back often feel very tense and my ring fingers visibly move from side to side. My left foot often feels very weak. I hate to keep bothering my neurologist, who prescribed Tegeratol which made me feel lousy, but I really can't go on like this. Thank you for your time.
Jennie

[jeannie]

My 68 yo father has constant twitching, even while sleeping.  It affects his entire body, eyes to feet.  He has now lost over 40 lbs.  He has numbness in his lower arms and hands, and now is unable to button shirts or cut his food.  He has constant pain in his neck and upper back.  He also has hypothyroidism, but takes synthroid. He has seen his MD, an orthopedic surgeon and a neurologist.  All tests have come back normal and we still have no answers.  Meanwhile, he is deteriorating rapidly.  Any advice on where to turn next?

[CCF Neuro[P] MD, RPS]

Dear D. Mortimer:

Most of the time, eye lid spasm is not worrisome in that you have something bad happening to you.  There are a variety of reasons it can happen.  I would suggest that you talk to a pediatric neurologist.

Sincerely,

CCF Neuro MD

[D. Mortimer]

I am 16 years old. Quite active. Healthy. But for about the last 3 and a half weeks my left eye has been twiching(or what is more like pulsating). This has happened to me before, but never this bad and never for this long.  Is there something I am not doing or is there any thing I can do to help this?

Thanks!

[CCF Neuro[P] MD, RPS]

Dear Scott:

Sorry to hear about your troubles.  What you describe is common with using the cocktails that have an effect with the peripheral nerve or muscle.  They can inhibit mitochondrial function, which alot of neurologist are thinking is the etiology.  There are several trials with various medications.  I would talk to your infectious disease physician or neurologist.  Some are using lamictal, some lipoic acid, are the trials that I am familiar with.  We are beginning to see if carnitine may be beneficial.

Sincerely,

CCF Neuro MD