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tinytina

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Jul 3, 2011
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Learn about ALS
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US
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ca.
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el cajon
strange things going on

Hey guys,before my questions i would like to start with alittle history of my symptoms.Several months ago i had a twitch or a spasm between my lip and chin, Didnt pay much attention too it and a few months after that one of my ex-boyfriends noticed my legs were smaller, like id lost weight in them.Soon after that comment i began having crawling feelings on my calf muscles and slight cramps. My ankle joints feel sore and my feet are thinner.

Of course, i googled my symptoms and i begin reading about als.My chin is twitching more, my twitches are spreading all over,my legs feel dead,stiff,spastic.I dont have any insurance but a guy in my aerobics class happened to be an emg tech that works for a nuero. and got me alittle bit of a discount on my emg test. I also have these jerks in my body right before falling to sleep could this be related.
Anyway the nuero did a 3 minute exam on me and the next day i had my emg done.The results were normal in my legs and my arms showed mild case of carpal tunnel. Does this mean that the symptoms im having in my legs are nt caused by als since the emg was normal.Is it possible for the doctor to mistake carpall tunnel with als or does the EMG read differrently between the two. My symptoms are still with me as i type this. I took my test 2.5 months after twitches and cramps. Was it to soon? I tired of feeling like this.
 
Re: strange things going on

Relax. Read the sticky posts. CLEAN EMG MEANS NO ALS.

Carpal Tunnel is found on the NCV that does with the EMG normally.

If you're exercising (doing aerobics) you're just in good shape--and might be overdoing it a tad on the exercise.

A twitch is a twitch.

It's not possible to get an EMG too early if you have ANY symptoms of ALS. The EMG would be positive in ALS BEFORE you even noticed the symptoms.

Good luck! Turn off the computer and go out and enjoy the lovely weekend.
 
Re: strange things going on

Does this mean that the symptoms im having in my legs are nt caused by als since the emg was normal.

You are correct. The symptoms in your legs are not caused by ALS. Certain problems caused by ALS are easily detected by the EMG long before you, the patient, would even notice their effects.

Is it possible for the doctor to mistake carpall tunnel with als or does the EMG read differrently between the two.

The EMG/NCV study clearly distinguishes between carpal tunnel syndrome and ALS. The neurologist is extremely unlikely to mistake one for the other.

My symptoms are still with me as i type this. I took my test 2.5 months after twitches and cramps. Was it to soon? I tired of feeling like this.

Too soon for what? You almost sound disappointed that the neuro didn't tell you that you have ALS.

Congratulations, you don't have ALS. Stop worrying about it and stop G--gling about your medical problems.

Have a nice life.
 
Re: strange things going on

thankyou for your replies, im still stressing about the symptoms im still having particularly the muscle jerks i get when trying to fall asleep.Anyway happy 4th to everyone.
 
Re: strange things going on

thankyou for your replies, im still stressing about the symptoms im still having particularly the muscle jerks i get when trying to fall asleep.Anyway happy 4th to everyone.

Oh hon...those jerks when we are going to sleep are actually VERY common. Seriously. They can even jerk you awake just as you fall asleep.

They can also get worse if you're stressing over anything at all, or are overtired. Lots of reasons.

Don't worry over those at all. I've had them since I was a child--and I'm 50 now. I also have sleep paralysis where I will be awake mentally but my body doesn't move AT ALL. Now, that, is terrifying! (and harmless)
 
Just curious about what muscles are effected to cause foot drop.Is it the calf muscles that feed into the feet that are to blame.My ankle joint on the top part of my foot gets sore.I had an emg done on my calf but im not sure if he checked my feet muscles.just wondering if something could ve been missed on my test.Is foot drop the result of the calf muscles being to weak to control the range of motion in your feet.Thanks agian for your knowledge and support.
 
Fppt drop is not caused by your foot muscles, rather nerves furter up your leg ie peroneal nerve. Here is a bit of easy to understand information

Foot drop is a symptom of an underlying problem and is either temporary or permanent, depending on the cause. Causes include: neurodegenerative disorders of the brain that cause muscular problems, such as multiple sclerosis, stroke, and cerebral palsy; motor neuron disorders such as polio, some forms of spinal muscular atrophy and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease); injury to the nerve roots, such as in spinal stenosis; peripheral nerve disorders such as Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease or acquired peripheral neuropathy; local compression or damage to the peroneal nerve as it passes across the fibular bone below the knee; and muscle disorders, such as muscular dystrophy or myositis.
 
Here is a little more information as well:

Foot drop is caused by weakness or paralysis of the muscles below the knee involved in lifting the front part of the foot. ( IE Not foot muscles...but muscles right under knee to ankle)

Foot drop is the dropping of the forefoot due to weakness, damage to the peroneal nerve or paralysis of the muscles in the anterior portion of the lower leg.

The underlying causes of foot drop are varied. Often, neurological, muscular and anatomical problems are causes.
 
Simply said. Shin muscles get weak and sole of foot slaps the floor.

AL.
 
Thankyou for the information on foot drop.I ve had weakness in my ankle joint the past month and my calf muscles on both sides are slimmer and more defined.I keeep thinking that i might be one of those few people that might still have als despite a clean emg.Trying to not obsess over it but when i get continue to have these symptoms its hard to forget about.Recently, my neck has been stiff and cracking easily and my right jaw muscle is twitching.I had my neck poked during my examine and it turned out ok.Oh well, i guess time will tell all, i just wish there was a time frame for when i can forget about als, its been 4 or 5 months of these symptoms yet im not clinically weak.If after a year one should have a pretty good idea if something seriuos was going on.I would like to thank everyone for your time in dealing with our fears and concerns. God bless..
 
I keeep thinking that i might be one of those few people that might still have als despite a clean emg.

There are no such people, so stop worrying about that. If your symptoms are occurring now and your EMG is clean, those symptoms are caused by something other than ALS. Worry about that problem, not ALS.
 
emg of neck

I know i should get off the internet but i wa wondering if an emg done on your neck muscles that turned out to be normal rule out bulbar als.Before my test i had twitches on the right side of my neck and now my neck still twitches, my jaw , and my throat feels like i ve got to cough alot.My tongue can still do all those litlle tests ok,tenting my cheeks,moving it around etc..Having alittle trouble swallowing but it could be mental.I was just hoping that if my neck muscles where weakened due to als it would have showed on the tests.He didnt poke me where the twitching occurs just in the back of my neck.Dont know if that matters.Also, how common is it too have your calf muscles effected and then 2 months later your bulbar region.Sorry about all the concerns thanks for your patience.
 
Re: emg of neck

Ok tinytina, take a breath and relax. You have a clean emg...that is a good thing! It is unheard of...as far as I know...to have symptoms start in leg and then go to bulbar region right away. Also, your dr. had to do emg at the back of your neck..that is where it is done...had it been done in the front...something like your trachea or your main artery might have minded!

You passed all the tests and dr. says your are ok..then you are ok! Get off the internet please, and let your mind be at ease. You do not have the symptoms of ALS.
 
Re: emg of neck

I know i should get off the internet but i wa wondering if an emg done on your neck muscles that turned out to be normal rule out bulbar als.Before my test i had twitches on the right side of my neck and now my neck still twitches, my jaw , and my throat feels like i ve got to cough alot.My tongue can still do all those litlle tests ok,tenting my cheeks,moving it around etc..Having alittle trouble swallowing but it could be mental.I was just hoping that if my neck muscles where weakened due to als it would have showed on the tests.He didnt poke me where the twitching occurs just in the back of my neck.Dont know if that matters.Also, how common is it too have your calf muscles effected and then 2 months later your bulbar region.Sorry about all the concerns thanks for your patience.

If you had shown any signs of ALS, bulbar onset or otherwise, your neuro would have told you. Everything that your neuro did tell you was normal. Why do you have trouble accepting that? Is there some kind of contest or wager that you are going to lose if you are not diagnosed with ALS?

As I said to you in reply to your first post, you almost seem disappointed that your doctors haven't found anything seriously wrong with you. Why is that? If you come up with an answer to that question, you'll be on the way to putting your twitching into a proper and useful perspective.

Good luck.

PS -- starting a new thread every time you want to talk about a new symptom is very annoying to most of us who answer questions in this part of the board because it scatters your information around and adds extra effort to answering your questions. You are, of course, free to continue to do that. However, you will find fewer of your new threads receiving answers as those of us who do the bulk of the answering here prefer to deal with people who have more consideration for the time and effort we put into getting you the answers you seek. Thanks.
 
Last edited:
Re: emg of neck

trfogey,

Think Al would put a suggestion in the stickies to keep all symptoms, etc, in one thread? I know I didn't think to do that when I first joined...
 
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