Benign Fasciculation Syndrome

[GMO2003]

Anybody know about this disorder...I've been experiencing chronic right tricep muscle twitches in rapid fire succession for the past several days (sometimes up to 100-120/hr)...I don't have any muscle weakness or accompanying atrophy and have no other neurological symptoms...I'm thinking I might have BFS atleast that's what I hope

[Careofme]

Originally Posted by GMO2003

Anybody know about this disorder...I've been experiencing chronic right tricep muscle twitches in rapid fire succession for the past several days (sometimes up to 100-120/hr)...I don't have any muscle weakness or accompanying atrophy and have no other neurological symptoms...I'm thinking I might have BFS atleast that's what I hope

Have you been lifting weights (biceps curls) or straining your arms recently?

[Nerdoscience]

That could be totally normal. I huge percentage of people have fasciculations in their face, arms, and legs, especially with physical or even emotional stress. If you ask around, I will put money on half the people you asking having experienced something similar some time in their life, if not regularly.

[neurologist]

Originally Posted by Nerdoscience

That could be totally normal. I huge percentage of people have fasciculations in their face, arms, and legs, especially with physical or even emotional stress. If you ask around, I will put money on half the people you asking having experienced something similar some time in their life, if not regularly.

I'm guessing he's in Iraq right now, so yeah, he's probably under a lot of physical and emotional stress.

I second the question of the other poster: any unusual arm activity or injury lately? Any sensory symptoms (paresthesia, loss of sensation)? Without any actual weakness (atrophy can take a while to show up, whatever the cause, so if this has just been going on for a couple of days, I wouldn't expect atrophy at this point), I wouldn't lose too much sleep over it at this point.

There's an old saying in neurology: "Everything that shakes is not epilepsy." The corollary in this case is, of course: "Everything that fasciculates is not ALS."

[GMO2003]

Originally Posted by neurologist

I'm guessing he's in Iraq right now, so yeah, he's probably under a lot of physical and emotional stress.

I second the question of the other poster: any unusual arm activity or injury lately? Any sensory symptoms (paresthesia, loss of sensation)? Without any actual weakness (atrophy can take a while to show up, whatever the cause, so if this has just been going on for a couple of days, I wouldn't expect atrophy at this point), I wouldn't lose too much sleep over it at this point.

There's an old saying in neurology: "Everything that shakes is not epilepsy." The corollary in this case is, of course: "Everything that fasciculates is not ALS."

I am deployed overseas and yes I regularly lift weights for the past 20 years. I've never had prolonged fasciculations for longer than a couple of hours after lifting no matter how strenuous the workout...I am under an inordinate amount of stress lately from a wide variety of factors...I'm not a hypochondriac...just a bit curious why its taking longer for my fasciculations to go away...I'm not losing any sleep over all of this although it is a bit annoying

[AznTrojan]

this reminds me of the time i thought i had MS because i had all these muscle twitching..

medical student syndrome is very real..

[billydoc]

Originally Posted by AznTrojan

this reminds me of the time i thought i had MS because i had all these muscle twitching..

medical student syndrome is very real..

Same here, although I do have a touch of NIDDM.
For the OP...About 500 mg of Mg Torate will work wonders for muscle twitches,esp for benign fasciculation. Also don't fprget to do a godd stretch of all the muscles you're straining in your work outs.

Good Luck

[mysophobe]

I get them all the time. It's no big deal. That reminds me of my mom calling me last night to ask if she has a stomach tumor because she's having diarrhea.