Hi everyone!
My symptoms started around Halloween with my left eye producing far more tears than the left and air coming out of my left eye socket whenever I blew my nose, which had never happened before. Also, occasionally when I talk my hearing in my left ear becomes strangely different, and when this happens this resolves eventually on its own.
(Hold on, bear with me)
Now, this has progressed into a minor droop on the left side of my face when my lips are both at rest and when I smile - one that those close to me notice but others can overlook - along with me slurring words more than normal.
I've been diagnosed with BFS in the past and still have widespread fasiculations, but I'm aware those are indicative of ALS as they are of anything else. I have no noticeable muscle weakness and did fine on a facial strength test not too long ago, but have never gotten an EMG.
My only question is, could my lip droop be ALS? My physician suggested it might be a Bell's Palsy, but when I looked that up that seemed to imply it had a sudden onset, which mine clearly didn't.
Should I seek a neurologist? I'm twenty years old so I realize ALS is an infinitesimal probability, but part of me is afraid that people might be dismissing my symptoms simply because of my age.
Thank you all for your time! It means a lot.
My symptoms started around Halloween with my left eye producing far more tears than the left and air coming out of my left eye socket whenever I blew my nose, which had never happened before. Also, occasionally when I talk my hearing in my left ear becomes strangely different, and when this happens this resolves eventually on its own.
(Hold on, bear with me)
Now, this has progressed into a minor droop on the left side of my face when my lips are both at rest and when I smile - one that those close to me notice but others can overlook - along with me slurring words more than normal.
I've been diagnosed with BFS in the past and still have widespread fasiculations, but I'm aware those are indicative of ALS as they are of anything else. I have no noticeable muscle weakness and did fine on a facial strength test not too long ago, but have never gotten an EMG.
My only question is, could my lip droop be ALS? My physician suggested it might be a Bell's Palsy, but when I looked that up that seemed to imply it had a sudden onset, which mine clearly didn't.
Should I seek a neurologist? I'm twenty years old so I realize ALS is an infinitesimal probability, but part of me is afraid that people might be dismissing my symptoms simply because of my age.
Thank you all for your time! It means a lot.