Quite worries about localized twitching

[Kaelon]

Hey all,

I am quite worried about some localized twitching in my left tricep. All day my tricep more or less just pops away I can see it popping under my work shirt constantly. It occurs more often when my arm is at a right angle (such as when I'm typing) and I find if I stretch out my arm it will instantly stop.

I'm not sure if ALS twitches stop when you stretch the limb?

I'm male and 26 years old. No familial history of the disease.

Has anyone else had symptoms present as such?

 

[GregK]

Your questions are answered in the Sticky post titled 'Please read before posting'!

Please go read it.

 

[ShiftKicker]

Hi Kaelon-

You posted way back in 2014 about your symptoms. I'd have to say that you would have shown way more symptoms in the intervening 3 years if you had an MND. I'd go see a physiotherapist for an assessment of posture and some strengthening exercises to see if you gain benefit.

 

[Kaelon]

Hi Kaelon-

You posted way back in 2014 about your symptoms. I'd have to say that you would have shown way more symptoms in the intervening 3 years if you had an MND. I'd go see a physiotherapist for an assessment of posture and some strengthening exercises to see if you gain benefit.

Hey ShiftKicker, I genuinely believe these are completely different symptoms and are nothing like I had back in 2014. Although obviously that scare has kept ALS somewhat floating in the back of my mind. I appreciate your reply. I know many of the users on this forum spend valuable time writing these replies.

I guess I'm particularly worried as the twitching is still just in one muscle, nowhere else. And I'm shaking a lot when I lift things up with that arm alongside feeling that there is muscle definition missing in my left tricep that is evident in my right. Is this clinical weakness? Should I request to see a neurologist?

 

[Atsugi]

Your family doc, any GP medical doctor, can test quite quickly and easily for clinical weakness.

Clinical weakness is when you can't extend your arm hardly at all. And there can be lots of reasons for that, that are easily fixed.

Don't sweat the difference in size between left and right limbs. It happens.

So do twitches. I find that either physical stress or psychological stress will cause a muscle to contract, sometimes twitching, sometimes cramping. For me, I try to relax and drink some Gatorade. It works. My twitching started when I was 28, now I'm 61. When one of my muscles goes into a twitching fit, I consider it amusing.

You said your tricep twitches until you extend your arm. That led you to think about a terminal disease? Seems a bit overly worrisome. Might want to look into that, too.

Good luck.

 

[Kaelon]

It's me again - I hate to come back like this.

My twitching is persisting especially in my tricep which is doing these HUGE thumping twitches (albiet less often it seems) today I was also eating some soup and I realised as I brought the spoon up to my mouth with my left hand it trembled so much. Can anyone recommend an exercise I can do to test my tricep for clinical weakness. I have resorted to doing pull ups in the work bathrooms, which I can do three or four alongside around 50 push ups.

I have also started having twitches all over my body but none anywhere near as consistent as the tricep. I have caught some in both arms, legs and even my belly and butt. However these are infrequent while the tricep ones always feel the same and are somewhat constant.

Any advice would be really appreciated.

 

[WendyWooG]

Really twitching means nothing without clinical weakness, we can't recommend tests or exercises we are not doctors or physiotherapists we are people who have als.
You first joined this forum in 2014 even with a slow progress you would have weakness by now and you wouldn't be able to do 50 push ups. It's a bit unkind to talk about how many push ups you can do when most of us can't walk wash or dress ourselves. In the time you have been on the forum I have gone from a normal healthy person to someone who has partial use of one arm only. You need to step back from places that discuss health problems and consult a doctor about your health anxiety.

Wendy