Aa
Is this a facial spasm?
For past 6 days, about 9-10 times a day, there is a rippling feeling which appears, lasts for a few seconds, and disappears. When it happens, it is possible to see the rippling in the mirror. It occurs on right side, above eye, near temple, but it's not the temple, more the area to the left of the bone. Does that sound familiar to anyone? Is this a facial spasm?? I've had twitching in eyes before, but never this, never anything so consistently in one place over such a length of time.
I'm trying to decide whether it's just nothing, or worth calling in to neuro. I have an MRI scheduled for November (which incidentally I was going to cancel because I've been fine since June and the radiation and contrast frighten me a bit). Not sure if this info would make any difference or not. I am "being watched." ie. not dxed.
Hope everyone is having a good day. Hard to be back at work after the long weekend ; )
I'm trying to decide whether it's just nothing, or worth calling in to neuro. I have an MRI scheduled for November (which incidentally I was going to cancel because I've been fine since June and the radiation and contrast frighten me a bit). Not sure if this info would make any difference or not. I am "being watched." ie. not dxed.
Hope everyone is having a good day. Hard to be back at work after the long weekend ; )
You're welcome. When I want to convey a specific message to doctor, I write it out and fax it to him/her. Then they read my own words. I agree that the me-nurse-doctor filter can garble a message royally.
Quix
Quix
Thank you for reply Quix. You didn't mislead AT All. Definitely this was a rippling within a defined area - forehead above eye to side of temple- and not what I would have called a twitch which I think of as one movement. But it's gone and neuro has dismissed it. Big problem is what nurse conveys from me to doc, what doc understands, what nurse understands doc to say and then pathway back to me. Keyword seems to be ripple. I would not be surprised if it was edited.
I also had double vision tonight momentarily. Guess my arm might have to drop off or something before neuro takes notice.
Thank you, your reply means A LOT.
I also had double vision tonight momentarily. Guess my arm might have to drop off or something before neuro takes notice.
Thank you, your reply means A LOT.
Well, to be honest now I'm not sure either. What your neuro is referring to are "fasciculations" or garden variety muscle twitches. I have always assumed that all people occasionally get these. But, you don't seem to have experience with them, so I am not sure that what you described in your first post is what I imagined. You state that you have had "twitching in the eyes". This kind of twitch can happen in any setoff muscle fibers in the body. It is felt as distinct little jerks that happen repetitively, but not really rhythmically. You can often see these jerks under the skin.
What I thought you were describing was a moving contraction that rippled across a space - like an undulation. It would be a sequentiql twitch that didn't stay in exactly the same place.
The only way to determine what it is would be for someone knowledgeable to see it. That's why a video of it would be so valuable.
I have had muscle twitches all over my body at various times. They are benign and inconsequential. If this 'rippling" that you have in your face stays in the same place and just feels funny, it is probably nothing to be concerned about. If it does actually ripple (like the surface of water) and moves across a space, then your doc should see it.
I hope I haven't misled you. That is the danger of advising people on a forum when you have to rely on their words and what one pictures on reading those words.
Quix
What I thought you were describing was a moving contraction that rippled across a space - like an undulation. It would be a sequentiql twitch that didn't stay in exactly the same place.
The only way to determine what it is would be for someone knowledgeable to see it. That's why a video of it would be so valuable.
I have had muscle twitches all over my body at various times. They are benign and inconsequential. If this 'rippling" that you have in your face stays in the same place and just feels funny, it is probably nothing to be concerned about. If it does actually ripple (like the surface of water) and moves across a space, then your doc should see it.
I hope I haven't misled you. That is the danger of advising people on a forum when you have to rely on their words and what one pictures on reading those words.
Quix
So a quick update. I called in yesterday morning. Nurse called back this morning. Doc says "This sounds like muscle twitches. Reduce your caffeine intake, get plenty of sleep and reduce stress. Let us know how you're doing."
So a) I drink one cup of coffee in the morning, maybe 1.5 when I have time, and no other caffeine throughout day b) yesterday the twitch, spasm or whatever the heck it is, didn't show itself. Interestingly enough this was the day after I awoke screaming with night terrors which I haven't had in years.
This is why I check here before making any move with the neuro's office. This is the neuro who told me the four white spots are fine for my age.
So what is a "muscle twitch" and is it any different from, say, facial myokymia? Really hoping you read this, Quix.
I may be sleep deprived and a little stressed, but no less so yesterday or today when I don't seem to have the "twitch." Totally confused and not sure what to make of it all.
So a) I drink one cup of coffee in the morning, maybe 1.5 when I have time, and no other caffeine throughout day b) yesterday the twitch, spasm or whatever the heck it is, didn't show itself. Interestingly enough this was the day after I awoke screaming with night terrors which I haven't had in years.
This is why I check here before making any move with the neuro's office. This is the neuro who told me the four white spots are fine for my age.
So what is a "muscle twitch" and is it any different from, say, facial myokymia? Really hoping you read this, Quix.
I may be sleep deprived and a little stressed, but no less so yesterday or today when I don't seem to have the "twitch." Totally confused and not sure what to make of it all.
Lizzie, Aspentoo, and Quix, thanks SO much for replies. And duhh, I feel very silly, since somewhere I did know that the M in MRI stands for magnetic.....not sure what was going on there! Will call in this morning when office opens. Thanks, especially, Quix, for all the explanation and great detail. Really helps. Also helps to know all that in case neuro decides it's an anxious twitch or something! I have my phone set up ready to go with camera in reverse mode, just in case I can catch it. Great idea. The forum is so lucky you're back (read your recent post!).
Oh, if I could just get all my thoughts out before hitting "Post"!
The myokymia is a form of spasming, just not in the usual sense. It involves the spontaneous contractions of the muscles involved in a sequential manner.
Q
The myokymia is a form of spasming, just not in the usual sense. It involves the spontaneous contractions of the muscles involved in a sequential manner.
Q
I forgot one thing. MRIs do NOT deliver any radiation. There is nothing to be worried about on that count.
The MRI contrast, gadolinium, is not harmful unless you have fairly advanced kidney disease. It does NOT cause damage to the kidneys. That is a common misconception that is promoted by personal injury attornies trying to drum up business.
So you have no worries over either of those.
Q
The MRI contrast, gadolinium, is not harmful unless you have fairly advanced kidney disease. It does NOT cause damage to the kidneys. That is a common misconception that is promoted by personal injury attornies trying to drum up business.
So you have no worries over either of those.
Q
Just to ease your mind, mri machines do not use ionizing radiation. MRI's use a large magnet instead.
If you are in limbo, I'd probably make the call to your neurologist, or pass it by the nurse, especially if you've been asymptomatic for some time and haven't experienced this before. If they consider it important, they may move your scans up.
If you are in limbo, I'd probably make the call to your neurologist, or pass it by the nurse, especially if you've been asymptomatic for some time and haven't experienced this before. If they consider it important, they may move your scans up.
Hi Joie -
I am very newly diagnosed; however, my rule of thumb is to always report any new neurological symptoms to your Neurologist. So yes, it is worth contacting them about.
Good luck and Best Wishes!
Lizzie
I am very newly diagnosed; however, my rule of thumb is to always report any new neurological symptoms to your Neurologist. So yes, it is worth contacting them about.
Good luck and Best Wishes!
Lizzie
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What you are having is called "Myokymia". A rippling of the muscles which can be episodic (as in your case) or constant. I even found a case report of this occurring in a woman with known MS.
In a current overview of MS that I am reading it even mentions myokymia as known to occur in MS.
"Impairment of facial sensation, subjective or objective, is a relatively common finding in MS. Trigeminal neuralgia in a young adult may be an early sign of MS. Facial myokymia, a fine undulating wave-like facial twitching, and hemifacial spasm also can be due to MS, but other causes of a focal brainstem lesion must be excluded. Unilateral facial paresis can occur, but taste sensation is almost never affected."
http://www.uptodate.com/contents/epidemiology-and-clinical-features-of-multiple-sclerosis-in-adults?topicKey=NEURO%2F1689&elapsedTimeMs=7&view=print&displayedView=full#
Because facial myokymia can also be due to other pathology in the brainstem, your neurologist MUST know about it. It would be a lesion on the 7th Cranial Nerve (the one which causes Bell's Palsy - facial drooping)which controls the muscles of facial expression. IN this case, your forehead muscles if I understand your description correctly.
May I suggest that you try and capture an episode of this on video (with a smart phone). That is worth a billion words to a neuro.
Hope this helps.
Are we due for a discussion of the Cranial nerves again?
Quix