Left arm weakness

[Andyleftarm]

Hi all,

I'm 43years old and father of 3. I usually carry around my 2 year old son but this summer I found that my left arm just could not cope more then a few minutes when I usually can carry my son without any problems. I then fractured a finger on my left hand and had a cast for 2 weeks. When the cast was off and I started to rebuild my strength it has really gone the opposite way. My left arm is significantly weaker then my right arm and I have feelings of internal buzzing in the arm. I have also some twitching in my forearm. My grip is good and I can still bench press 100 kg but biceps curls are down to 15 kg from 22 kg before this summer. I have read that als is about what you can't do but I can still do everything except I'm weaker then before and getting weaker. The buzzing and twitching combined with the weakness freaks me out and I googled those symptoms.....and it took me here. I really hope I'm in the wrong place. Could als start this way? Weakness in foream/biceps and progress from there? I read it usually start in a hand or a foot. I have not seen a doctor yet.

 

[Nikki J]

Well of course you need to see a doctor. Isolated weakness is the way ALS starts yes but you are right it is more commonly distal. No matter where though it is usually something else. Buzzing is frequently reported in this subforum but I don’t see those people returning to report ALS. Twitching is very non specific

It seems to me we recently had someone with similar symptoms and it did turn out to be as we had expected an isolated issue and the person was cleared of ALS.

It is possible that decreased performance happens due to the death of motor neurons that control one muscle for the movement but others are still robust but other explanations are far more likely. Start with your gp

 

[KarenNWendyn]

Isolated weakness in one upper extremity usually results from either a pinched nerve or a problem with the shoulder or elbow joint.

I agree with Nikki. Start out by seeing a doctor. It’s too soon to draw your own conclusions.

 

[Andyleftarm]

Thanks for your replies!

I know that I should see a doctor but I'm afraid what to find out. Instead I try to convince myself that much of the weakness i have now is due to the arm not being used much while having a cast and directly there after. But with all twitching and buzzing going on its hard to keep the spirit high. All symptoms are located to left arm, from shoulder to the wrist. But the weakness is only felt when I carry my children or doing movements like biceps curls.

 

[Bestfriends14]

Andy,

Do you have any idea how many doctors appointments ALS patients go? It's a lot, and no one says "I'm too afraid to go". They soldier on and just do it.

As for your arm, it's injury related. I had a car accident where I was hit at 60 mph and the seat belt wrenched my shoulder. That was 7 years ago and to this day, I have ongoing weakness, buzzing, and tingles when I raise my arm to shoulder level. I do not think I have ALS nor did I ever. You don't have ALS either and that's a great thing.

 

[Andyleftarm]

Thank you for your reply and you are offcourse right, dr Google is not helping. Since my fracture is healing at a snails pace im seeing a physiotherapist in a coupe of weeks. Im going to adress the arm weakness with him/her.

 

[Andyleftarm]

I now have a doctor's appointment but it's several weeks away. My arm is really weak, the area around the joint to more specific. With weak I mean weaker then my right arm. I can still curl 15 kg and do push ups and so on. When flexing the biceps it looks like the bottom part has been cut off. It has a square shape in the low part of the muscle instead of a rounded shape like on my right arm. Don't know if this is athropy? Or would the whole muscle loose size? Also, my arm is quit stiff in the morning and it hurts to straighten it. No loss of grip strength I think. Really scared of als at this point...

 

[Atsugi]

No. no. no.

You didn't read the sticky post stuck to the top of this subforum. It will ease your fears.

You didn't pay attention to what the experts above have had to say.

There is no ALS in anything you posted.