Facis and Atrophy

[YoungTwitch]

Hello everyone,

I want to start by saying that I’ve read the rules page regarding this particular forum but I still have a few questions regarding my symptoms.

I am a 24 year old male. I started developing muscle facis in November. They are all over the place, but generally in my calf muscles. I immediately wrote it off as BFS, but since December I have noticed that my hands, especially my left hand, have started to lose muscle in my dorsal interossei, particularly in the space in between my thumb and my pointer finger.

I’m starting to get a little worried and plan to schedule an appointment as soon as the Covid craze calms down. But I’m curious about when muscle weakness typically presents itself. Would atrophy occur before weakness? I don’t have clinical weakness (that I can tell) and I don’t have any issues doing daily tasks with my hands, but they are definitely losing muscle. That paired with my facis have brought me to this forum. If it isn’t ALS, then does anyone have any idea what it is? And is muscle weakness usually the first presentation of ALS?

I also want to add that I have to utmost respect and sympathy for this community. Each of you are extremely brave individuals and I pray that they will develop a cure to this disease soon!

Thank you all!

 

[KarenNWendyn]

Please read this if you have not already done so: Important - READ BEFORE POSTING! Answers to common concerns about possible symptoms

In ALS, weakness tends to occur first, then atrophy. The most common presentation is that the person notices something isn’t working right and they can’t do something they could do previously (failure). The doctor will then detect weakness on exam and may also find some atrophy on careful inspection. There are many causes of atrophy with mechanical imbalances and injuries being the most common. Everyone also has some degree of asymmetry.

Twitching is common, nonspecific, and meaningless in the absence of muscle function failure which you have not described. So I wouldn’t worry. But see a doctor if you’re concerned.