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1761287 tn?1313824787

Muscle Twitching...

Hello. My name is Michelle. For the last 2 weeks now, my left thumb has been twitching on & off. It last for quite awhile & then my thumb is sore after. I have had muscle spasms as well in my calves & face. Sometimes, my eyelids or cheeks will twitch uncontrollably. I have had that symptom for much of my life. I suffer from anxiety & I don't handle my emotions correctly. Not to mention that my sleep cycle is completely off. I am not sure if the lack of sleep would contribute any to the twitching. Do I need to see my doctor about this? Or is it something that will just pass with time? It certainly is adding to my stress levels. Help!
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Avatar universal
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Thanks for using the forum. I am happy to address your questions, and my answer will be based on the information you provided here. Please make sure you recognize that this forum is for educational purposes only, and it does not substitute for a formal office visit with a doctor.

Without the ability to examine and obtain a history, I can not tell you what the exact cause of the symptoms is. However I will try to provide you with some useful information.

It must be emphasized that in most cases muscle twitches are benign meaning that they are of no consequence and are not resulting from a serious cause. In such cases, the twitches may be related to anxiety/stress, caffeine, and often occur after recent strenuous activity or muscle over-use. It is important in such cases to reduce stress/anxiety levels and to reduce caffeine intake. Tremors of the hands can be physiological that is exacerbated by stress/anxiety and caffeine.

Benign fasciculation syndrome, which I will abbreviate as BFS, is a condition in which there are involuntary twitches of various muscle groups, most commonly the legs but also the face, arms, eyes, and tongue. If the diagnosis is confirmed and other causes are excluded, it can be safely said that the likelihood of progression or occurrence of a serious neurologic condition is low.

When BFS is present but not particularly bothersome or disabling, treatment is not necessary. If severe and it requires treatment, there are a few medication options though this condition is not very common, and the research that has been done on its treatment is limited. Minimizing caffeine and stress, and treating anxiety if it is present, will improve your symptoms.

However in general when fasciculations (i.e., muscle twitches) occur in the setting of associated symptoms such as progressive loss of sensation, tingling or numbness, weakness, trouble swallowing and other symptoms, the cause may be due to a peripheral nervous system problem. This would require extensive neurological evaluation.

Another nervous system problem, that may cause muscle twitches is a peripheral neuropathy, but typically the history will have other factors such as diabetes or sensory changes.

If symptoms migrate (move from one place to the other) and are intermittent, causes might include seizures, migraine disorder or metabolic problems such as low calcium.

Often these symptoms may reflect emotional/psychiatric problems related to stress (what is called somatization disorder). The latter is a true medical condition whereby instead of a patient experiencing depression or anxiety, they experience physical symptoms, and once the stress is addressed, the symptoms resolve. It seems this may be your case. Sometimes hyperventilating will cause an exacerbation of the symptoms.

I would suggest you follow up with your primary physician to ensure there is nothing more occurring. If there are any changes on neurological examination or something worrisome in the history, you should follow up with a neurologist. You may then require further diagnostic testing such as an MRI of the brain and/or EEG (to evaluate the electrical activity of your brain).

Thank you for this opportunity to answer your questions, I hope you find the information I have provided useful, good luck.

Helpful - 0
1925822 tn?1333705617
Well anxiety can trigger a lot of symptoms...but talk to ur doctor and ask him for a scan as it could be related to neuroligical things aswell...just to make sure
Helpful - 0

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