Muscel Twitches/Jerks

[AcroSplat]

Hi All

Another Newbie here...... Have been reading the forum for the past few days in seach for a few answers and support. Ive had heath anxiety for about 6 years now, but never as bad as im feeling right now.

About 1 month ago i came down with vertigo/dizziness. I couldnt get to see my normal GP so i went to one of those 24 hour medical centers. The Dr their said it was most likey a viral infection in the inner ear.

I then went to see another Dr the next day who said the same thing. So i sort of accepted that i had an inner ear infection ..... although MS and Brain Tumors were going through my mind and i kept googling diseases and symptoms so i had some mild anxiety.

Then 10 days later as i was watching TV i felt my leg jerk. Nothing Major. Just slight movement. I cant really remember if i have had this before. I never really noticed it before but i seem to think i may have had the odd jerk while watching TV in the past. (I guess this is normal in most people???)

But then the next night i noticed it again and then again ..... perhaps 2 an hour ...... and its been happening for the past 3 weeks while resting (sitting or laying down). It varies from 2 - 5 jerks an hour. Sometimes its in my legs but ive also felt it in my arm too.

Then for the past 2 weeks ive noticed muscel twitching - Mostly in my thighs, but also in my lower legs, arms, sholders and ankles. Mosty its one single twitch .... but on other times it can vibrate for a few seconds. Agian it only happens while im resting.

I had an MIR yesterday and should have the results by Tuesday. I just keep thinking i have a Brain Tumor or MS, or Motor Nuron Disease.

Ive also had weakness in my left arm. However i think thats just anxiety too. Its hard to describe how my arm feels. It just feels weak - sligtly strange - even when i have it laying flat out and resting. Its actually gotten better tonight - so that must be anxiety.

Also the other night i felt tingle sensations, and in the past ive imagined symptoms (stomach pains that wernt actually real)

But the Muscel twitches and Jerks..... They have been with me for 3 weeks now. Just wondering does anyone else have them? If its Anxiety/Stress/Worry ..... and i accept that ..... wouldnt the twitches disapear ? Or would it take time for the body to settle down?

Sorry for the long first post. hehe

[jodiehind]

Hi acrosplat,

Never had twitching muscles but do get tingling in my hands and arms alot, also feel very dizzy and off balance when I am anxious. The MRI scan results will put your mind at rest though so until then try and relax.

Let us know how you get on on Tuesday.

Jodie

[veebee]

Hi there

Have a look at the symptom pages on this site - you’ll see that muscle twitches, feeling weak, tingling etc are very common anxiety/panic symptoms. And I’m no expert, but from reading other people’s posts I see that it can take quite a while for things to calm down – I have been worried about how long things have been going on for me too. We feed our fear by constantly thinking about it so no wonder we are both still getting strange symptoms. I’ve experienced a lot of the same things you have and am still having some of the symptoms which started back in mid March (hopefully it won’t go on this long for you!) – I still get random muscle twitches, tingling and odd aches and pains.

Do you think that you accepted your GP’s initial diagnosis of the ear infection? Because I know I didn’t when I was told I had a trapped nerve in my arm. Before I’d even gone to the doctor I had already decided there was something horribly wrong with me – and MS was the monster. From there on, everything just went on a downward spiral – and I got a million more symptoms that hadn’t been there before. I don’t want to second guess you, but just from my own experience, do you think that you may have been thinking that the docs were missing something, or not believed their diagnosis? Cause that might explain all the other stuff that you got after the inner ear infection...

MS has been the big bad for me, and although my neurologist has said he doesn’t think I have any progressive illness, I am still very concerned – so much so that I’m scheduled to have an MRI next month (arranged by the neurologist only for my ‘peace of mind’ - what's that again???!).

He also told me that pins and needles and muscle twitches are very common and he always has patients thinking they have MS because of these sensations – and they don’t. But when someone who is worried about something like this thinks about it constantly, and then (big mistake) googles their symptoms, is it any surprise that we end up with the worst case scenario, rather than the more likely one? Easier said than done, I know, but try to relax and try your very very best to just ignore the physical stuff – and remember everyone is here to help for when things are tough.

Take care, and let us know how you get on.

[pigtailplaits]

Hello

I also have concerns over a brain tumor. My health anxiety started 4 months ago with blurred vision and the occasional headache. I googled my symptoms and got very upset that i might have a brain tumor. I took myself to AandE in a very frightened state and they did an MRI scan, this was clear but i am still not happy. I have been reassured that i am suffering from anxiety and i can relate to your muscle twitches. Mine are also when i am relaxed- usually just before i fall asleep my leg jerks. I have very bad dizziness and when i bend down all the blood rushes to my head and my ears feel very full. Its really scary how anxiety can cause all these strange symptoms. Hopefully you will find lots of useful advice and support here. I certainly have. Please let us know how your result turns out, bet its clear. Mine was but i havent give up thinking 'what is wrong with me'

[Eleven]

Acrosplat - I'm going through exactly the same thing as you. As I sit here at work typing this my left thigh is twitching. I'm very wound up and worried about the whole thing. Terrified about MS and Motor neurone.

Mine started with tennis elbow but I now have another sharp pain in same arm shoulder and collar bone too. Trapped nerve or referred pain - I don't know.

Also get the strange weakness in arm thing you mentioned and other tingles.

Don'y have any advice but can confirm that you are not alone! I'm seeing an Osteopath now and hope they can get my arm better. If not I'll be back to the docs to get a referral to a neurologist.

[AcroSplat]

pigtailplaits, veebee and jodiehind thanks for replying and your advice.



VeeBee - If i had seen my main GP from the start i would of accepted his diagnose - but he was so busy i had to wait 2 weeks to see him. Instead i went to other drs who basically all said i have a viral infection of the inner ear (Labrinthitis). My main GP and another Dr said muscle jerks and twitches can be caused by anxiety .... but then im thinking .... how on earth can anxiety cause something so physical

How long does it take to have an MRI in England ? A month seems like a long wait ... no wonder you have all this anxiety. Waiting is another cause of Anxiety for me. I had to wait 10 days for my MRI and 2 - 3 working days for the results.



pigtailplaits - have you been to the eye dr about the blured vision ? My eyes "felt" blury rather than being blury. It was more of a sensation than having any loss of vision. The Optomitrist did a full examination and said that my tears were evaporating too fast causing the werid sensation in my eyes. She refered to it as "Dry Eye" which can cause blured vision.

When i first started having dry eye ..... i first thought Brain Tumor and then MS. I always tend to think the worse, and each and every time it has not once come true. Infact any diagnose ive done on my self has never come true. Im hoping that continues lol

[AcroSplat]

Hi Eleven

Thanks for replying. My main Dr did tell me just the other day that Muscel twitching can be brought on by Anxiety. I asked him and his response was
"Yes it can.... BigTime!!" I guess we are all looking for some reasurance.

Hope eveything goes ok with you.

[Grover]

Hi Acrosplat

Muscle twitching can easily be bought on by anxiety, think of the adrenaline that is released during anxiety/stress states. I had years of twitching, legs, arms, every location pretty much at one time or another. Eventually I saw the connection between stress and twitching. There is a condition called 'Benign Fasciculation Syndrome'. Check out there forum...

http://www.nextination.com/aboutbfs/

DONT 'google' twitching, firstly it can tell you nothing and is NOT definately a sign of something ominous. Secondly it will just feed your anxiety...and make you twitch more, dont get into this cycle. I would supplement with 'magnesium citrate' and avoid sodium. Learn to meditate, this I think is so important so we can learn to calm ourselves.

Weakness 'real and percieved' can also be bought about by anxiety, this has been observed time and time again. Try to work out regularly so that you can see that you are still strong, plus it will use up the adrenaline and help to release the happy chemicals.

As someone else who fights the anxiety demons I know this is easy to say, but dont give in in too easily to the subtle voices and inner chatter. Do as many nice things for yourself as you can, most of all dont forget to laugh.

Wishing you all the best!! : )

[AcroSplat]

Hi Everyone

Well i got my MRI results back today. It came back fine. No tumors or signs of MS, so im releaved about that.

But still my muscel twitching and leg jerking still keeps happening when i sit or lay down..... although tonight its not been that bad.

Whats anoying me at the moment is that for the last 2 days is that i have a feeling of skin crawling or tingling on the skin, almost if 1 ant is crawling over it or there is a droplet of water on my skin and i want to wipe it away. It mostly occurs on my ankles or lower legs... but a few times on my wrists or arms. Another way of describing it is that somone is touching a single hair on my arm or leg and they are moving it slightly.

Is this another symptom of Anxiety ???

I mean i do have Motor Nurone Disease on the mind and even though my brain says - "no thats rubbish" i still wonder and think "what if".

[veebee]

I am so pleased that your MRI was clear! That's absolutely brilliant news.

Crawling/tingling is most definitely an anxiety symptom - just check the symptoms part of the site and you'll see!

The 'what if?' thing is natural - I know, cause I think that way too. But it really is not good for you, I know because I've got myself in a real state over the past couple of days thinking this way - please try your hardest not to do it, its so very damaging.

A clear MRI is fantastic news. Please try to do everything you can to keep yourself from thinking the what ifs. Dismiss the anxiety symptoms for what they are - a trick that your mind is trying to play on you.