View Full Version : Obsessing over thumb muscles difference
I have been dealing with twitching and muscle jerking for quite some time now. But now I am obsessed with the fact that my right thumb muscle is smaller than my left even though it is my dominant hand, and there is appears to be a dent in my right muscle when I move it that doesn’t happen when I move my left. I’m terrified of ALS and can’t stop looking at my hands even in class today.
HA! I've done that exact same thing!
Normal bodies are not symmetrical
in class
ALS is vanishingly rare in young people.
Even if you had symptoms of it.
Which you don't.
I just can’t seem to shake the fear, especially since I know a woman who died from it in her 30s.
Twitchy5377
23-01-18, 06:21
I fear ALS too. I'm currently worried about breathing problems I've been having since September and twitching that started in August. As everyone else has said it is extremely rare. I obsessed over my calves for a while -one inch difference. I think everyone is asymmetrical if they look hard enough.
tryingtosurvive1
23-01-18, 06:29
u guyzzzz
if you can't turn your key, worry about your thumb muscle. Otherwise don't obsess about it.
People do get ALS in their 30s in the odd case . . . but remember the goal is not to convince yourself your worry is *impossible.* It is to remember it's improbable enough that it's not reasonable to worry about, and to learn to live with uncertainty. And not to go googling "ALS people in thirties"!! ;)
I just can’t seem to shake the fear, especially since I know a woman who died from it in her 30s.
So? Someone somewhere will have the rare stuff. Just as someone somewhere wins the lottery every week. Doesn't alter the fact it will almost certainly never happen to you.
u guyzzzz
if you can't turn your key, worry about your thumb muscle. Otherwise don't obsess about it.
Even then, it would be far more likely that it's something like a carpal tunnel issue than a rare neurological disease, and this is coming from a guy that has been worrying constantly about said disease since last July.
Yep, I've done this too. And other muscles in my hand. And my legs. And feet. And arms. And chest, etc.
One thing I ended up doing with my hands at one point is wear gloves. In the house. But at least it stopped me from CONSTANTLY checking them. Which I was doing, and it's so hard not to because they are always there, of course.
But the gloves worked.
PLEASE READ THIS! (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=196071)
Positive thoughts
I'm still super upset about my thumb and how much bigger the dent is on my dominant side then the left and when the doctor looked at it he did admit there was asymmetry but said he "didn't know" if he would call it atrophy. I hate that I keep looking at my thumbs but I feel like I can't stop and the difference is so obvious and I'm terrified.
Please read this again. (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=196071)
Positive thoughts
Please read this again. (http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=196071)
Positive thoughts
Thanks, I've read it and for some reason it doesn't help especially because I've never had an EMG to prove it's not ALS, and because my doctor did notice the difference between my thumb muscles and it's on my dominant side. It actually looks like it's atrophied more since I first noticed it. I don't think the thumb is noticebly weaker but I also don't know how to test it myself.
ALS is about failing. Can you still use your thumb and hands? That's a yes I assume? We're asymmetrical by nature. I'd bet my salary you don't have ALS. Too young and show no definitive signs.
Good luck and as always...
Positive thoughts
Thanks. I wish it could convince myself. I understand statistics and I know how incredibly rare it is, but when I'm down the rabbit hole logic is of little comfort to me. I am so so sick of constantly being in a state of fear, I mind as well be dead if I'm going to waste my entire life worrying about if I'm dying or not. I've also worried about 5 different cancers this week, and am awaiting an MRI to rule out MS. It's truly insane and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy.
if it helps you feel any better I too think the thumb muscle on my dominant hand is smaller than my right one. I was terrified at first and I think I made a post about it (probably deleted it lol), but since I haven't paid any attention to it. I know for ages now my left bicep is bigger than my right bicep. My right calf is bigger than my left calf. Even the sides of my stomach area are different on both sides.
if it helps you feel any better I too think the thumb muscle on my dominant hand is smaller than my right one. I was terrified at first and I think I made a post about it (probably deleted it lol), but since I haven't paid any attention to it. I know for ages now my left bicep is bigger than my right bicep. My right calf is bigger than my left calf. Even the sides of my stomach area are different on both sides.
Something about it being my thumbs bothers me more than it would if it were other parts of my body. I guess because I've heard of thenar atrophy regarding *** so much.
I really got sent into this tailspin because I work in geriatric physical therapy and a few weeks ago I had my first patient with the disease and it automatically sent me into a tailspin. I really had to compose myself to be able to give her a proper treatment, but I got through it and I feel so guilty because she actually has the disease for sure and I'm worrying about myself.
Twhen I'm down the rabbit hole logic is of little comfort to me.
So what can anyone do or say here that would help? Or is this just a way to vent? :shrug:
Good luck and as always...
Positive thoughts
So what can anyone do or say here that would help? Or is this just a way to vent? :shrug:
Good luck and as always...
Positive thoughts
I don't know. I was hoping maybe someone has had the same issue with their thumbs for a while and it still okay. I'm not sure what I want, but it is a way to vent and know I'm not alone in this fear.
On kind of a tangent, a year or so ago I freaked out because I noticed that some muscles on the non dominant side of my neck were bigger than on the dominant side. Makes no sense, right? My doctor said that this can be developmental, and can be influenced by which way you were turned in the womb, etc. Maybe your thumbs were always like this and you just now noticed because you never looked that closely before.
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