Generalized Muscle Twitching

Posted , 65 users are following.

Hello All,

I am so frustrated I have no idea what else to do. Currently I am suffering with generalized body wide muscle twitching. They initially started in December of this year after I had a twitch in my right shoulder. I decided to google the symptoms and ended up in the worst panic of my life. I thought at first it could be MS and I then learned of ALS and my twitches exploded all over. I went to a neurologist in March who did not want to do the EMG and she said it was something called benign fasciculation syndrome. It took some time but the twitches became less frequent but never went away. In July I had a full physical and my GP stated it was nothing and could be attributed to stress or somatization of symptoms. I began an accelerated nursing program and now I can't concentrate because I am scared to death again because the twitching has come back. 

My biggest problem is the unbelievable amount of discrepancy there is related to the subject. You can look on any site and it states that "muscle twitching" is a sign of MND. There are people who have been diagnosed who say they started out with twitching as their first symptoms. There are people in their 20s saying they have been diagnosed with the illness. Then there are hoards of people who state twitching is related to anxiety and stress. That it is benign if no other symptoms are present. I just do not know what to think.

I am 27 and have never been diagnosed with GAD or anything but I have had a very stressful childhood. Maybe I do need to see a psychiatrist? 

If anyone has these issues please let me know. I would love to discuss them I hate this so much

10 likes, 110 replies

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  • Posted

    I feel your pain ! As your story sounds like mine altho mine started out of the blue at age 55

    I guarantee it’s anxiety and nothing more then that .

    I’ve have had emg arms and legs I have had cat scan, mri , and all test normal my last visit with neurologist he suggests a physchritrst  well I never saw a phshyc doctor but I did see a accupunturist and wth the help of herbs my anixiety and twitching has really calmed down 

    Funny thing I didn’t even know I had anxiety lol .. my problem started almost 1 year ago out of the blue and I was convinced I had the dreaded disease . And I searched and searched for answers it wasn’t until my lady dr recommended the accupunturist and Altho the twitching does appear from time to time and it was mainly in my lower legs but at its worst last year it was everywhere .. I’m a married 33 years work out daily have a great job and love life. I just had to except the twitch and move on and when I did this and accupunture and herbs that I can’t mention on line my twitching is much better and I prayed so with Gods help all things are possible . And I wish this for you 💕

    • Posted

      Thank you Kelli I think I’ve had about 1hr sleep. The doc won’t give me sedation as she says I’ll get addicted. So in the mean time I have to quietly go mad. 

      I do think at least to some part my problems may be psychological but equally the twitches r definitely there.  I spend ever waking minute thinking about what’s wrong with me. 

      I too have being praying 🙏. 

      X

    • Posted

      I agree with Dr stay away from meds if possible try the natural route . I was right where you are and even last night mubtwitching kicked in . Anxious over a early alarm today and needless to say only got 3 1/2 hours sleep . But if you can try the relaxation techniques yoga meditation and accupunture and herbs i guarantee once your mind free it is nothing serious then you will be free .

      Try journaling as well .

      I pray for you as well this is no fun . But this to shall pass I promise . Feel free to pm me for my herbs 🌿 💕

  • Posted

    I'm 62 years old and in good health. I just recently experienced a muscle twitching on my left hand . What does that mean?

    • Posted

      Hi 

      Well I’m  no doctor but if your twitching isn’t followed by muscle weakness then you have nothing to worry about. Could be anything from a vitamin deficiency like magnesium I would ignore it and not worry or else you will twitch more trust me 

  • Posted

    i an so glad i read this post. i have really bad anxiety and originally thought i had dementia as the memeory got better i started with twitching and im on a nursing course too

    • Posted

      hi sorry to hear about what your experiencing but i understand as i too thought maybe i had dementia and keep in mind my dad passed of alzhiemers but in the early stages of my anxiety i too would forget many things

      and this contributed to my stress anxiety and twitching

      understand it took me over a year and many test to feel normal with the help of acupuncture and herbs prescribed by my accupuncturist as well as my nutritionist whom has prescribed vitamins biotin b12 , http, all important vitamins for our nervous system and muscles.

      yoga has helped and meditation and i never thought i would ever do any of these .

      I cant say i am every day A Ok

      but i can say i know longer fear the ms or als diagnosis

      and i struggle with anxiety bit when it appears and i twitch i just note it and realize it will pass.

      my neurologist diagnosed BFS

      And altho its annoying i know it wont kill me .

      in mean time live life and love life .

      My hope for you is to find peace and know this too shall pass .

      wishing you good health and less worry

      KELLI

  • Posted

    Hi, honestly if all you have is twitching you have nothing to worry about. I have been twitching for almost 4 months now and I have other symptoms that point more towards a real issue (I have had a clean emg though). I would love it if I just had twitching

  • Posted

    hi im 30 years old and for a few months ive also been getting muscle twitches all over my body (eyes,legs,arms,feet) it doesnt seem to go away. I Also noticed that this has been the most stressful year for me due to moving and work. I Started reading online its only led me to things i didnt want to read. I noticed that the more i worried the more i would get twitches. I went to a neurologist and the first thing she asked me was "Ok spill it out what are you worried about" i told her als or ms and she starter to laugh. She did a little exam and told me you do not have als. she also said that muscle twitches are very common with stress and anxiety she told me the more i google the more twitching ill get. she told me i had bfs. when your body calms down the twitching will slowly go away she said. i hope shes right lol also if you are going through the same thing i am you can google stress- anxiety muscle twitching. it really calmed me down after reading. hope this helps

  • Posted

    Hi everyone,

    I just wanted to leave a message for all of you and for my own good.

    Before anything I just wanted to point out a few things that I am pretty sure most of you are on the same boat with me.

    This is not the first time that you are worried about having a horrible disease (Have had MS fears at least once in the past right? come on...)

    Have been spending many *** hours googling your symptoms

    Your concern is the main issue, otherwise the symptoms themeselves do not interfere with your day to day life

    Your symptoms get worse when you think about them

    For this particular symptom (Muscle twitching) you may already know that:

    It is very common rarely something serious.

    It's very rarely an early symptom of ALS.

    When there is no other obvious symptoms it means nothing.

    When it's generalized and you feel it all over your body it usually benign.

    ALS is a progressive disease and if you have had twitches for quite a while and have not developed other symptoms it has nothing to do with ALS.

    You all know these facts. I know them too. But there is still another thing that we all have in common:

    We know all of these but we still can not stop worrying, searching and picturing the worst case scenario.

    Welcome to the club guys. We are all (more or less) sufferers from what they call Cyber-Chondria or in simple words "Health Anxiety".

    How do I know that? Because I am reading this thread! Because a few days ago I became worried about ALS due to muscle twitching and here is where I ended up after spending hours and hours googling symptoms on internet.

    Because I explained all rational reasons to you why you should not be worried at all, and I am still anxious myself.

    We need to overcome this. For many of us, professional psychiatry help is needed. If we don't find a way out of this, anxiety will swallow our normal life (if it hasn't already). Yesterday MS, today ALS and tomorrow pancreatic cancer and after that ALS again.

    We need to let it go.

    I am going to try my best. Will not google symptoms or read forums anymore. Give this damn twitching sometime to see where it goes (I have definitely already consulted my GP and he said there was nothing to worry about). If it doesn't get worse or I don't develop any other symptoms. Then it's nothing. Absolutely nothing. Like all of yours.

    I bet a million dollar that ZERO people in this thread have been or will be diagnosed with ALS due to these muscle twitches.

    I wish all (including myself) could find a way out of the darkness of health anxiety problem.

    • Posted

      HI

      Well just checking in to say to all twitchers ,tingling ,

      ANXIETY is most likely the cause even when your stress level subsides and you feel great you may still twitch .

      I can honestly say accupuncture and herbs were my life saver and seeing a nutritionist .. I cant say im twitch free and i have good days and bad but mainly good

      and with prayer meditation yoga these all have helped

      wishing you all peace and

      please stay off the web it only aggravates the situation

      peace to you all

    • Posted

      Thank you for posting this. I feel like I could have written it. I have been experiencing twitching on my left side and it happened right after a scare with my pancreas (of course). An incidental discovery on a CT made them think something might be wrong so of course I went to worst case scenario. (It was fine.) For weeks I sobbed and could not sleep, and nearly the moment I got the good news, the twitching started. I bargain with my family that "as soon as I get the 'all clear' from whatever doc I'm seeing at that point, this will be the last time." And that is usually the case for a while, but whether it takes hours or months or years, a worry of epic proportions takes over. It's comforting to know you're not the only one, but I so long for a solution.

    • Posted

      hi Liz,

      wow, it's been almost two years and I still get replies on this thread.

      Believe me, I know where are you coming from, I wasted months and years of my valuable time worrying about things that never existed. They were all in my head. I still get muscle twitches sometime and I laugh bitterly afterwards as I remember the terrifying days, weeks and months I spent worrying to death.

      I'm good now. tried hard to stay away of it, but I know that I may slip anytime I read about signs and symptoms of a horrible disease. I hope that you understand you are not alone and there are millions of people like you. This fear is not something you should be ashamed of, but I guarantee that you can overcome it. I have almost done it successfully.

  • Posted

    HI I'm not sure if this forum is still open.

    Im in my late 30s with generalized twitching. It started during a time i was very exhausted but even after getting rest and de stressing i still have them. The twitches are usually small muscles not visible to anyone unless youre looking for it and occur in my feet, calves, butt , face and hands.

    My neurologist didnt think i needed any tests as he says im fine but i'm super anxious and always reading. Any words of advice ?

    • Posted

      hello first im sorry your experiencing muscle twitching there not pleasant and can make a person crazy.

      i continue to twitch some days i have no twitches some days its like a popcorn machine .

      primarly in my calves .

      i was told anxiety and i beleive this is the case as when moments of stress i will twitch even more .

      ive tried accupuncture and continue to do acupuncture

      and feel it has helped .

      also magnesium has helped .

      But nothing has made them go away .

      as far as your test well your dr is right you dont need any as they can tell by observing if these test are necessary .

      i have seen 3 neurologist because i could not understand how these twitches could be benign well almost 2 years now and im still twitching even as i write this and i feel strong and healthy just have to live with these annoying twitches .

      altho mine are only noticeable when im sitting still or laying down when im moving i seem not to notice.

      wishing you peace and hope you find comfort

      xo

    • Posted

      Hi,

      If you were seen by a neuro and they said you didn't need further tests, that means you are just fine. These twitches are very common and a specialict could instantly realize by just looking if something was wrong.

    • Posted

      thanks for your response.

      i do note some days are good but i am so unaware of being so stressed or anxious that this would happen though my job is very stressful. i know i panicked when it started especially after reading online.

      i do find that magnesium tablets helps .

      i will continue that.

      THANKS

    • Posted

      your very welcome

      i use a product called calm abd it actually helps me sleep take it every night

      i never knew i was anxious or stressed but my body must have known.

      anyways keep me posted if yours go away and any remedies

    • Posted

      I guess youre right but everytime i get them more frequent than the prior day i get paranoid ! i will try to relax.

    • Posted

      good morning

      i actually thought of you last night

      wanted to share when i have a glass of red wine they go away as well ..but maybe im just relaxing ..

      i did wake up at 4 am to tiny little twitches primarly my legs its like something in my brain is misfiring and my legs just go pop pop pop ..

      as i write this there firing off even now . But im going for a run and will be busy all day and wont notice them until im still again

      i suppose i can say that moving more and sitting less cant be that bad for me . But it took me over year several DRS including a therapist to just learn to live with them and pray they go away someday .

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