Illusory muscle cramps

[josephpauley]

37 male, diffused twitching and I have been having short pains in my arms, hands, legs, and feet. They feel like cramps but I see no muscle contraction. Just wondering if cramps in als are always visible or come without muscle contractions. Thank You for your time. I understand pain is not associated with als but was just wondering about this.

 

[affected]

What did your doctor say about what you are experiencing?

 

[josephpauley]

Went to nuro sFriday. And reflex exam ok. Do an EMG on friday.

 

[affected]

Did the neuro you saw give any indication what they are thinking?
Any clinical weakness?
Cramps don't really mean anything, so giving us an idea what the neurologist found would help us comment. Let us know the result of the EMG as that will give us something more solid to discuss with you.

 

[Clearwater AL]

Just a note concerning leg or arm pain, it may come from two different things…
ligaments or muscles. It’s really something to be consulted by an Ortho doctor.
But maybe your Neuro saw something to order an EMG which can be many
things besides ALS. I’m surprised Dr. Google didn’t direct you to an Ortho
doctor first. But, he’s Neurology’s best salesman.

A Charley Horse is muscle a Cramp is ligament… some may debate that.

Let us know the results of the EMG…

 

[KimT]

I can only tell you of my own experience. The cramping I experienced in my feet were awful. They stopped me in my tracks and, at night, they kept me awake.

If I were to get cramps I'd make sure I was eating lots of fruit and veggies, remain hydrated, and maybe add some magnesium. Cramps can be symptoms of so many things and some are very simple like a sodium/potassium imbalance or even too much dietary calcium without enough magnesium.

You have to find out the origin of the cramps in order to treat them effectively. Hope your doctors get to the bottom of it quickly.

 

[josephpauley]

So I went to the neurologist. He did an emg it was normal. And said he doesn't think my problem is neurological. Still worried but I'll have to trust the doctor. I still have deep muscle pain not cramps and twitching which worry me. No weakness though so.... thank you for your time. Hopefully I won't be back.

 

[affected]

great news - honestly muscle cramps being neurological is incredibly rare. hopefully you can now look the likely causes and address them and return to health

 

[josephpauley]

Yeah, I never get true cramps. Just like pain in the muscle. My muscle never tightens up. I assume with ALS it's not just a pain, it's the contraction of the muscle. Which doesn't happen with me.

 

[KevinM]

I’m very glad that the EMG was normal and that your neurologist cleared you of ALS or other neurological issues. The cramp-like feelings you describe are in the overwhelming majority of cases caused by benign, easily remedied treatments.

However, I think any responses in this forum should be as accurate as possible, and while this doesn’t apply to you, ALS cramps—which are not at all like you describe and are accompanied by clinical weakness—are exceedingly common, not rare. This from published research done in 2016 from the National Library of Medicine entitled “The Natural History of Muscle Cramps in Amotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.”
”Muscle cramping is a common symptom in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)”
“Cramps developed in 95% of patients over the course of their disease.”

According to the research ALS cramping is more intense in the first year of the disease. Again, this is for people with ALS, and your neurologist and the tests should completely reassure you.

​

 

[affected]

Thanks Kevin, I did not say cramps are rare in ALS, just to clarify.
I said cramps, in general, are most commonly NOT from a neurological cause.
That is quite different to saying PALS don't get cramps.

Just like headaches are a symptom of people with brain tumours, most headaches experienced by people will have nothing to do with a tumour.

Hope that is clearer, thanks for pointing out that I did not express my point correctly.

 

[josephpauley]

I was wondering. I woke up this morning and the left side of my body was extremely hard to move. Is this what stiffness in als is like? Or are you completely unable to move your body? Sorry for taking more of your time. Just a worry wort!

 

[Nikki J]

No and no. When you read stiffness it is a poor description of spasticity Spasticity is very difficult to explain but your neuro would have seen it on their exam. Please stop googling. Take your good results work with your gp for any concerns

 

[Bestfriends14]

Your perceived symptoms are indeed "illusory." Please remember that when you feel the urge to continue asking terminally ill folks and their carers, to handhold your anxiety.

Bring all future questions to your docs.

Take good care

 

[affected]

If you have new concerns please go see a doctor rather than asking us to interpret what you think you feel against what you think something you read means. See how messy that is?
A doctor can examine you and discuss in context of their findings.
All the best.