So scared of my tremors! ALS fears

[FreakOutQueen]

Hi all,

I developed an eye twitch about a week ago that hasn't subsided and yesterday when looking in the mirror I noticed I could make the sides of my lips twitch/tremor if I held them a certain way. Also I feel like my tongue looks like it's vibrating (slightly). Are these symptoms of ALS? How could these tremors be benign? I'm so scared.

[axolotl]

How could these tremors be benign?

Twitches and tics are very very (very) common anxiety symptoms.

If you search this forum you will see just how many people have them. For example my calf muscles almost continually twitch, and it's nothing. It's all to do with the way we have pent up adrenaline due to a misfiring of the fight or flight response, mixed with an anxious mind focusing on normal blips that non-anxious people wouldn't even notice, but really you don't have to understand the mechanics - just accept it's common, and nearly always nothing to worry about.

ALS is a hugely rare disease, especially in young people, and shouldn't be on yours or any of our radar as a possibility (blame the ice bucket challenge). It seems to a go to for health anxious types for any neurological symptoms, but it really isn't something any one of us should worry about, and something that doesn't present in the way any of us seem to think it does - twitches are not an early onset symptom of ALS.

As always see a doctor if it's worrying you, but you have so much super-common benign stuff to rule out - anxiety, stress, or something like vitamin deficiencies - before even entertaining anything rare and nasty based on the very, very vague symptoms you're describing.

In reality though, the thing to talk to your doctor about is anxiety, because when something so vague can cause so much panic you need to think about getting some professional help to get over that.

[Fishmanpa]

Stop right there! Do not pass GO! Do not collect $200! NOT ALS! Read THIS! (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=196071)

Positive thoughts

[FreakOutQueen]

Thank you both for your replies. The worst part of health anxiety is I don't think I would have noticed my lip and tongue tremor thing had I not been looking for it. I got bit in the face by a dog in high school and for all I know that nerve damage has been there since then and I could have had those tremors since then. Now it is all I can focus on. I hate it. My eye twitch is a bit better today; however. One question - does ALS start as a lip tremor? Does anyone know?

[Fishmanpa]

One question - does ALS start as a lip tremor? Does anyone know?

Did you read the link I posted? Apparently not :( Please read it! Especially the part about anxiety.

Positive thoughts

[axolotl]

One question - does ALS start as a lip tremor? Does anyone know?

Please read what I've put above (if only the bit I wrote in bold!!!), and the excellent link Fishmanpa posted. We really want to help but you need to read what people type.

[Josh1234]

ALS does not affect the lips. Further, tremor is not an ALS symptom.