Tongue Quiver

[ccreich]

Good afternoon,

My name is Chris and I am a 29 year old male. For the last 4 months the sides of my tongue have quivered non-stop. The best way to describe it is as if the sides of my tongue move left and right at an incredibly rapid pace while the middle maintains it's placement. I can not feel the movement. To this point I don't notice any slurred speech or difficultly swallowing, but I do bite my tongue and cheek constantly as my tongue pulls to the left. I can touch my nose with my tongue, as well as push on each cheek with minimal difficulty.

While researching the issue though I came upon an article that described ALS Bulbar fasiculations as a tongue quiver, and that they are always ALS. I read in the sticky note however that this is not the case.

This article sparked some concern so I was hoping someone could clear up for me if what I have is the start of ALS or not. I recently saw a doctor at the VA who specializes in Internal Medicine and he stated he didn't know what my tongue was doing, but that my odds of not having ALS are in my favor. My lab results came back clear, my limb strength was 5/5, and my reflexes were bilaterally brisk but not excessive, to which he decided no more tests were needed.

Is it possible that this "quiver" is just the progressive start of ALS? Would other limbs be affected by now if it was in fact ALS?

Thank you all so much for your time. Merry Christmas and Happy New year!

 

[ShiftKicker]

Past thread here: https://www.alsforums.com/forum/do-i-have-als-als/42677-should-i-get-second-opinion.html

Chris, tongues quiver all the time. It's a perfectly normal thing for them to do. Quivering is NOT faciculation.

The last time you were on this forum you were in the process of working with your doctor and the folks here recommended you work with a physiotherapist. That would still stand. I think it would be a good idea to add in someone who can help you with handling what appears to be a whopping case of anxiety about your health too.

Best of luck

 

[ccreich]

I took the helpful advice from last time and found many of my symptoms to disappate. I also started medication for anxiety at that time.

The one constant though has been the tongue quiver and twitching in elbows that I can't seem to shake. Is there a better way to describe/explain tongue fasiculations than worms under the skin? I'd be lying if I said I knew what a worm moving looked like lol.

Thanks in advance.

 

[affected]

Hon, quivering and/or twitching means NOTHING. Don't sweat this, keep getting anxiety help and tell your doctor your fears are back.

 

[KarenNWendyn]

In the absence of documented weakness and muscle function failure, I wouldn’t even worry about quivering, twitching, fasciculations, crawling worms, etc.

 

[ccreich]

Thank you for the responses and the information, I appreciate it.

If you don't mind I'd like to ask two more questions and then I'll be done. In my early thread I mentioned being unbalanced. Over the 6 months this has led to 3 falls. Is being unbalanced and falling associated with bulbar, or are falls typically caused by drop foot and muscle weakness somewhere in the legs?


I also experience severe heartburn and consistent burping. Are GERD type symptoms associated with early Bulbar?

Thank you all, and hopefully this helps someone else as well with their concerns.

 

[lgelb]

Unless someone's hold breaks, falls in ALS would be caused by weak legs and/or trunk.

Burping and heartburn are not typical signs of the bulbar nerve dysfunction caused by ALS, since the impetus for those would begin below the neck.