muscle spasms/twitching

[exc]

I too have internal tingling, muscle spasms - fobrations feel throughout my body including face.  I have had cervical spine MRI and am now being sent for thoracic spine MRI.  My thyroid and calcium have been tested.  I am low on Vitamin D but my doctor thinks not low enough to cause this proble.  

What is ALS?

Any other suggestions?




This discussion is related to Muscle spasms throughout body.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,

Acid base imbalance reports can be interpreted by any doctor,but more specifically by a physician/intensivist/biochemist or neurologist.

Although there is no test that can provide a definitive ALS diagnosis, the presence of upper and lower motor neuron signs in a single limb is strongly suggestive. However, an ALS diagnosis is based primarily on the signs and symptoms that appear and on a series of tests that rule out other diseases. In order for your doctor to make an ALS diagnosis, he or she will need to obtain your full medical history and conduct a neurological examination. The examination will be performed at regular intervals to assess whether possible symptoms of ALS are getting progressively worse.

http://als.emedtv.com/als/als-diagnosis.html
Tests that are used to make an ALS diagnosis include electromyography(very sensitive in detecting lower motor neuron disease), Nerve conduction velocity (NCV), Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), Muscle biopsy and blood and urine tests.

Hope it helps.

Take care and regards

[exc]

Hello

I appreciate the time you have taken to respond and give me a thorough list of possibilities.  

Would it be an endochronologist, hematologist or a nutritionist who would check acid base imbalance and low sodium. My calcium and Vit D have been checked already as has my parathyroid.

Is there a test for ALS?  I am wondering if the neurologist has alreadt tested for this and hopefully eliminated it.

Thanks for your help.

Elaine

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,

There are a number of causes for muscle twitchings.It can be due to acid-base imbalance in the body,low sodium,calcium and vit D deficiency,Alzheimer,r disease,muscle fasciculation syndrome(a disorder of the nervous system characterized by the uncontrolled twitching (fasciculation) of muscle groups in various parts of the body),ALS,chronic fatigue syndrome,hypoparathyroidism,spinal muscular atrophy or spinal neoplasms and spinocerebellar ataxia.Pls discuss these options with you doctor.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis is a progressive, usually fatal, neurodegenerative disease caused by the degeneration of motor neurons, the nerve cells in the central nervous system that control voluntary muscle movement. As a motor neuron disease, the disorder causes muscle weakness and atrophy throughout the body.

No test can provide a definite diagnosis of ALS,but because symptoms of ALS can be similar to those of a wide variety of other, more treatable diseases or disorders, appropriate tests(like electromyography,nerve conduction studies,MRI brain and spinal cord) must be conducted to exclude the possibility of other conditions.
You can get more information from the following link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amyotrophic_lateral_sclerosis

Hope I have provided you with sufficient information. In case you need any more information,pls post us.