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Why Is My Arm Twitching!? An Inquiry.
Biology 103
2005 Second Paper
On Serendip
Why Is My Arm Twitching!? An Inquiry.
Matthew Lowe
For several days now, and as I write this paper, a muscle in my left forearm has been twitching vigorously on a regular basis. It is not painful, but I am always able to feel it while it is happening. In general, an episode of spasms begins suddenly and with great rapidity; about ten contractions per second. It then usually slows to irregularly-spaced single spasms, with the occasional double-twitch. All individual spasms are very quick; the contraction and release taking a fraction of a second. The twitch is visible: it appears that a narrow section on the right side of the large anterior muscle (the one that lifts the wrist) is being pulled forward about a quarter-inch. The visibly affected area extends over the inner elbow and about four inches up the upper arm. I had originally attributed the twitch to caffeine or stress, as I find that my left eye twitches in a similar way during periods where I am forced to drink lots of coffee and skimp on sleep. However, for the past few days I have consumed no caffeine and gotten a reasonable amount of sleep. I got some light exercise, and was moderately nervous for a musical performance last night. One possible strain on my left arm was a pain in my wrist from probably straining too hard, playing guitar for a more extended period of time than I am accustomed. Extensive stretching, massage, and more aggressive tactics have done nothing to slow the spasms, indeed, direct pressure on the area will not even stop spasms as they are occurring.
The first step in diagnosing this annoying and increasingly distressing affliction seems to be to determine what is actually twitching. It seems that only the muscle itself has the ability to actually move a part of the body, but of course muscles respond to nerve impulses. Could ligaments or tendons be malfunctioning and triggering these movements? It appears that this would not be the case, as ligaments merely connect bone to bone and tendons muscle to bone. They are made of soft collagenous tissue, and classification of these tissues are based on stiffness of the "crimp" of the tissue and its resistance to load under pressure (1). These characteristics do not seem to suggest the capability of autonomous movement. The same is the case for actual nerves. The action, therefore, must be in the muscle. Something, therefore, is triggering the irregular bonding and release of myosin heads to the actin filaments. This action is also, at a certain level, uncoordinated, because though the movement of the actual muscle is large, there is no visible translation to a bone, moving a limb. Perhaps the "power stroke" of the muscle is so short, and in a small enough section of the muscle that it overcomes the deformation curve of the tendon. However, the timescale of this phenomenon is far shorter than the muscular action I am experiencing. Perhaps the muscle in question serves another purpose. The two strongest possibilities for identity of the offending muscle, based on the line the spasms trace, are pronator teres or the flexor digitalum superficialis (2). There is little reason to suspect the second, as it is a deeper muscle, and much more of it would likely move if it were to misfire. The pronator teres appears exactly the proper size and shape. This muscle originates at the Medial epicondyle of the humerus and at the coronoid process of the ulna, and inserts at the middle of the lateral surface of the radius. In other words, at the very bottom of the humerus, a few inches down the ulna, and between them on the radius, respectively. The muscle pronates and flexes (rotates and bends) the forearm at the elbow. Though it appears that the bulk of forearm flexion is performed by the Brachialis, most pronation is done by the pronator teres, further confusing the question of why my arm remains still when the muscle twitches (3). The muscle is innervated by the median nerve, a common site of nerve compression and repetitive stress syndromes. There exists a pronator teres compression syndrome, but it is fairly rare and its symptoms include pain in the area, weakness in the hand, certain types of palsy in the fingers, and do not include twitching of the muscle (4). None of these apply to my situation.
A visit to a medical reference site querying "muscle twitch" yielded information I had assumed at the beginning of my inquiry. Barring neurological disorders such as Lou Gehrig's disease and Muscular Dystrophy, causes of muscle twitching were simple: caffeine, excessive exercise, stress, a diet deficiency. The former three I was willing to rule out in my situation, but it is possible that there has been a deficiency in my diet. Returning to institutional food has greatly increased the proportion of meat in my diet, which had been significantly reduced during the summer, and it seemed particularly high in the past week. Further research suggested that spasms and cramps could be caused by a calcium deficiency resulting from high protein or phosphate intake. A deficiency in pantothenic acid (Vitamin B) were pointed to as a cause, but several prime sources of the vitamin were part of my diet in the period in question. A high Magnesium-to-Calcium ratio in the body was another cause. It is true that most recently, green vegetables and legumes, the major sources of magnesium, had not been in adequate proportions in my diet, but this would presumably result in, if anything, a low Mg/Ca ratio Consuming foods containing lactic acid was pointed to as a possible strategy (6). In the end, it was unclear exactly what could be done on a dietary level to correct this ratio, as consuming more of one mineral would block absorption of another in a complex web, and it would be impossible to be certain of the proportions in my body without knowing the proportions in the foods I ate, without having kept careful track of what I had eaten in the period in question.
Would there, then, be anything that could be done in the short term? It seems to stand to reason that the malfunction of myocin in the muscle would be triggered by the synapses of a nerve going haywire. Is there any way that the functioning of a cluster of nerve cells could be directly impacted? A relationship between electrical pathways in the body and acupuncture came to mind. Most charts of acupuncture meridians that I was able to find related the acupoints to organs, as opposed to specific muscles or limbs, which seemed like a dead end. This was interesting, however, as it was indicated that Eastern medicine traditionally conceived of disease as a collection of symptoms rather than a unified state of the body, which would suggest that their treatment strategies would target various body aches outside of the major organs in the trunk or head (8). Another article indicated that "The change of electric activity is part of signal transduction and can precede anatomical change," but that some electromagnetic patterns in the body mapped by a SQUID (Superconducting Quantum Interference Device) are consistent with the meridian system, but not necessarily "any major nerve, lymphatic, or blood vessel" (9). The author goes on to note that "An "annealing" mechanism may play a role in acupuncture and related techniques: Small perturbations at singular points elicit a "shock" to the system - activates and shakes the biological system out of its abnormal and unstable state. After activation, the system has a better chance to settle at a normal, more stable state." It seems likely that acupuncture could have an effect on my own particular malfunction, if it is in fact related to the electrical impulses in the muscle, but it seems that to find out exactly how would require the involvement of a specialist, or, as the web seems to indicate, the purchase of a book.
In the end, this particular spasm episode will likely soon come to an end, but a few questions still remain unanswered in my mind. First: if, for instance, the spasms were caused by a nutritional deficiency, why would that macro deficiency manifest itself in one section of the body for an extended period of time? Second: another article outlining the system of nerve impulses involved in a reflex reaction demonstrated the level of communication necessary to return a reflex impulse to its point of origin. What if my left pronator teres or its median nerve thought that it was receiving an impulses and was actually responding normally? If so, what could this false impulse have been caused by? Most of my confusion arises from the specificity in manifestation of a generalized explanation. What is so different about this particular assembly?
1) Notes for a U-Michigan biomechanics course
2)Contents of upper limb and back, drawings of macro anatomical assemblies
3)Upper Extremity Muscle Atlas
4)eMedicine, Hand and nerve compression syndrome overview
5)National Institutes of Health, NIH Reference Site
6)Acu-cell, Nutritional causes of muscle spasms and cramps
7)Acu-cell, nutritional mineral ratio primer
8)The Med-Com Resource, Acupuncture primer
9)The Meridian System and the Mechanism of Acupuncture, Article on acupuncture research
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Comments
twitches
Hi , I have been experiencing twitching above my right new mainly, you can see the muscle moving. My neck twitches sometimes too, as well as my foot and shoulder sometimes. I think it is stress. I am not a drinker but I was taken out for my birthday and noticed after drinking champagne and few other drinks I had no twitching. I am going to ask my doctor about it since I have an appointment to follow up on my hypothroid condition this morning.
Arm and Foot
hi twitchys!
I'm 15 years old and my upper arm and somtimes my foot go all twitchy at random times.(But I've been noticing the twitches scince I was 11.)I have an anemia iron deficency, sometimes my eyes get blurry( I'm near sighted with contacts, and I can unfocus my eyes - which, apperently you're not supposed to do.) and I also have restless legs.
Yesterday my left arm went crazy twichy and it lasted until today going on and off. I don't know what's wrong with it. It doesn't hurt or anything, it just feels...really weird. It freaks me out to see it moving. If I apply pressure or try and stop it nothing happens, but if I just continue what I'm doing it tends to stop after a few minutes. I found out that the only control I have over it is if lay down and then bend my left(twichy) arm behind my back, so my hand rests near my right hip the twiching quickly goes aways. But I think this sorta numbs my arm and feels just as weird as the twiching.
Is this related to my restless legs? I'm not taking medication for them, and my anemia is under control. I've also - over the past 2 years - been getting cramps/charlie horse's in my feet from swimming. To solve that I've been eating bananas and i tend to drink alot of milk.
Any help?
thanks ♥Hazel
Im not a doctor, nor do I
Im not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV, but have educated opinions and observations over the years. Limit your sodium intake. You would be surprised that almost ALL processed food contains sodium, which leads me to preservatives. Again, processed foods! Also eliminate caffiene and double or triple your water intake. If you are diligant in doing this for one week....JUST ONE WEEK, Im confident this will help. No coffee, soda, tv dinners, snacks, etc. Buy some fruits and vegetables, buy some meats and fish and season only with garlic, onion, italian seasoning, red pepper, etc. Cook on the grill or a George Foreman. Dont fry in grease and butter! Lots of cereal and oatmeal...not the sugary kinds either! It is difficult to do but...Try it for a week!
Thank you, best advice i have
Thank you, best advice i have heard on google...will try that.
Good advice because I did eat
Good advice because I did eat a whole can of salt n vinegar pringles within 2 days and now my arm is twitching and i have been ordering bacon lately on my burgers. mmm taste really good. I eat oatmeal every morning with butter and sugar. At first, i thought I slept on my arm wrong, because twitchng started right after I woke up from a nap. But its night and it happened again for a few seconds and decided to search internet.
twitching arm/ salt
People (and uninformed doctors!) need to stop blaming everything on salt. Low pottasium is most likely the culprit, especially if you take a bp and water pill. Most ALL recent studies prove salt is GOOD for you. Google it, and don't be a cow following the mainstream. Same with eggs, vaccine (which are TERRIBLE for you and your kids) and many othe things... do the research people, and wake up!
1. Potassium levels often
1. Potassium levels often change with sodium levels. When sodium levels go up, potassium levels go down, and when sodium levels go down, potassium levels go up. So what you say is true, which is actually reinforcing my original statement.
2. I am not aware where you have retrieved your studies on sodium from, but can assure you anything from the Sodium Producers of America may be a bit biased. The CDC estimates that the average American consumes 3,436 milligrams (mg) of sodium a day – far more than the maximum recommendation of 2,300 mg (the equivalent of one teaspoon of salt). But a CDC report suggests that nearly half of all Americans and almost all adults need to cut back even further, to no more than 1,500 mg of sodium per day. Too much sodium in the diet may raise blood pressure in some people. For those who have high blood pressure, eating foods with a lot of sodium makes their chance of heart disease, stroke, and kidney damage higher. Heart failure gets worse when too much sodium is eaten. It increases the amount of water the body holds in and this causes swelling of the legs and hands. While it is true we need sodium, NOT as much as is in most peoples' 21st century diets in America! "Mooooo Mooooo"
3. This discussion is focused on muscle "twtching", "spasms", or "jerks", not muscle cramping, which is associated with low potassium.
4. Not sure what eggs and vaccine has to do with this discussion, but I would be happy to briefly comment on those as well. The pendulum seems to swing back and forth every 10 years or so as to the health benefits, or lack thereof. Eggs criminality are the high content of cholesterol. This is true in the yolk, which can be extracted. Even if not, yolks naturally contain lecithin a natural emulsifier. A report out of Kansas State University explains that the lecithin in eggs has been found to be effective in preventing the absorption of cholesterol in the body. So although eggs do contain higher amounts of cholesterol, their high levels of lecithin counteract it.
5. Vaccines..way too many to discuss in such a forum, but simply put, it IS possible that what may harm 0.1% of the population may help 99.9%. Numbers are estimates, but adjust as necessary...0.5% vs 99.5%?
6. I have done the research, and AM awake. I suggest you do the same. Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz,,,(That is your alarm clock!)
Hello Hazel, Firstly I am a
Hello Hazel,
Firstly I am a nurse. Secondly, I am suffering frm the same symptoms. However, I have been diagnosed with a problem with my ulnar nerve (that's your "funny bone"). It sits in the little notch under your elbow. Do you play sports? Do you use your elbow a lot as a bend/unbend way? You might have irritated your ulnar nerve. Try not to lean on your elbows a lot. I think thats how I irritated mine.
Fiona
twitching
thanks for your suggestion. son was playing football and began twitching.. one day afterward, saw a big bruise on his under arm near his elbow. I think this is what happened to him.. that he bruised/hurt his elbow during the game.
Pamela
you may have a neurological problem.
Hi!I am 16 and used to experience twitches when I was younger too.You may have a neurological disorder.You may be suffering from one of these neurological disorders:
.Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis[ALC}
.Damage to the nerve that leads to the muscle
.Muscular dystrophy
.Spinal muscular atrophy
.Weak muscles{Myopathy}
Also stress and anxiety can cause muscle twitches too.There is usually no treatment needed for this problem.But see a doctor if you're twitches are persistent or long lasting.
Reference:Medicine Plus Encyclopedia:Google
I hope and pray that you find this article useful and if you need my reference look up the page above on Google.You'll be okay.Take Care!
Twiching Nonstop
Okay so i first time my temple twitched i was in 4th grade now i'm in 9th. I'm 15 by the way. As i'm typing my temple is twitching pretty rapidly. I told my mom about it but she just said it will okay. It twitches mostly on my temple and behind my ear. It also twitches on my back, arm, foot, and leg. They don't always hurt but they twitch so hard it can wake me out of my sleep. I thought if i eat some bananas it'll help but it hasn't. I just hope it's nothing to serious.
everything twitching
so my first twitch was in my pointing finger 2 years ago in 6th grade. but up to today it twitches along with everything else in my body: from my ears to forehead to (underneath and above) my breasts, my stomach,arms fingers palms of my hands, buttocks,vagina(also area around it), thighs, calves,feet toes underneath toes, and my back. IVE HAD EVERY MUSCLE IN MY BODY TWITCH!! I'm afraid to wear anything that reveals my skin because I'm afraid that it will twitch and someone will see it. I'm very active, a ballet dancer, piano player and i do a lot of reading acting and singing AND I'm a vegetarian...so my only question with such a balanced life style how am i twitching so much?
Nerve twitching and vegetarian
Some vegetarians are low in B12 vitamins. Don't take vitamin pills for a week, go to the doctor and ask for a blood test for B12. If you are low you might need a prescription or shots. This vitamin is important in nerve function and formation. It protects the coating around the nerve. Nerve irritation can cause what you describe. Spine pressing on nerve roots. Also, stress as well.
have you tried seeing a doctor?
Have you thought about seeing a doctor? If you have, what were the results? My arm has already stopped twitching, so hopefully all of your muscles will stop too. Consider taking magnesium supplements or eating potassium. I didn't have to do that, but I've heard those work sometimes. But trust that in time, you will stop twitching. By the way, I am very sorry for your condition... it's sounds very unfortunate. :(
Just Started the Twitch
As most of you, my left arm is twitchin too. I am 15 and it started twitching on Sunday, April 17 2011... which was last night. I went to sleep thinking it would stop when i woke up, but it didn't! There's nothing wrong with my diet and i don't drink coffee, and nor am i stressed. If this doesn't stop soon, i don't know what to do!
Thnx
Twitching in Left Arm
I finished reading all your reports regarding this annoying left arm twitching. For me, mine is caused by a herniated disc in my neck. Everything seems to sit on a nerve.I had a prescription for this annoying spasm but I could not refil it. Neck stretches are about the only thing that work along with beating your tricep to death!!!
Muscle Twitch
I have the same thing but all over my body 24/7, 365....Not fun! I explain it as though there were kernels of Pop Corn exploding under my skin all over my body. I had a serious car accident in 1994 and among other things fractured my spine at 4 levels. I now have a harrington rod fused there. It didn't start at that point but in 2006 I was rear ended by someone doing 55 miles per hour when traffic, including myself, had come to a complete stop. From that MINUTE on, I have been plagued by this and it is HORRIBLE. They are called myoclonic (myo meaning muscle) jerks . Mine was caused by spinal nerves being injured. I also have restless limb syndrome in my arms and legs and it is severe....the only thing that comes close to helping my sysmtoms is hydrocodone for the RLS and a fairly new but strong muscle relaxer called Tizanidine, although the Tizanidine doesn't calm the spasms down completely but the hydrocodone completely eradicates the RLS thank goodness....See a neurologist, anybody else wont have a clue..even ortho docs.
i have the same symptoms
my pain seems to be coming from my spine also. have you gotten any other type of relief help?
Arm twitch
Hi, I am 13 years old and today is the first day my arm muscle has been twitching all day off and on. This has happened before but it was on time a day and was over very fast. I have felt it in my right leg to but it did not last long at all. O have been cracking my shoulder a lot too( the one right above my twitching arm) could this be because of that?
Twitching syndrome
These could represent side effects of medications, thyroid disease, or a twitching syndrome called BFS or benign fasciculation syndrome which can be exaggerated with physical exertion/exercise."Constipation":
Need guidance and information
I have been having a strange pain that originates deep inside from a nerve or muscle,It started as a cramp on my left elbow and shoulder,later the whole left side got frozen.there was a time that my neck was to stiff that i could not even turn while lying down.I have been getting sudden twitches,sometimes my Leg/s twitch abruptly ,sometimes my hip flexes automatically.
I want to know what is the relation of this to
A-Side-effects of med.
I am a chronic absurer of codeine Phosphate syrup,rexcoff(cipla)200ml/day and smoke 30 cigs a day.
I work night shifts and lately suffered a bad break-up with my girl who I lived with for past 9 years.
B-What is the relation of constipation and twitching muscles
C-How are depression,melancholy and stress related to twitching muscles?
Is it reversible?curable?what should I do?
There are no doctors or hospitals on this island,Boat comes here once an year
What about potassium?
Hey everyone... I have ,uscle twitches as well and it is quite annoying particularly when you are a hypochondriac.. I actually though I had Parkinsons when im "only" 26 hehe
Try testing for potassium deficiency... One of the most clear symptoms of mild potassium deficiency is muscle twitches... Check your diet to see if you are eating enough foods with potassium and if the answer is no try adding some coconut water and v8 juice to your daily drinks to see how you feel a few days after....
This worked for me :)
Hypnosis might help
I've read stories of people that develop twitches as a psychological problem that can only be fixed through intense therapy or several sessions of hypnosis. Good luck!
twitching left bicep and numb, tingling left thunmb
I have been experiencing a number of strange conditions lately and I am trying to self diagnose on-line for now. But I find it interesting that I can type in my subject (as in my subject line) in a search engine and find so many people talking about the two same issues but I am not noticing any similarities (without reading past the first few posts) to my OTHER conditions that are very wide spread in my body and have mostly been leading me towards some sort of autoimmune / thyroid / hypothyroid / hashimoto disease type problem. Can any of you put some other symptoms like the following TOGETHER with your arm spasms and thumb numbness??? For Example: Losing eyebrow hair, restless leg syndrome, losing facial hair, swollen eyes, blurry eyes / hard to focus, pain in neck that can go up into face and down to shoulders, knee pain, ED, depression, all of these symptoms are off and on (except eyebrow & facial hair loss) but seem to be getting worse and more persistent!!! and many other things that I am just starting to put together as one problem. Swollen tongue, swollen eyes, hemoroides - constipation / diarehea, low blood pressure.....the list goes on but on a lot of other sites many of these fit together and I'm sure if I have all of those things there must be something there....maybe many of you also have some of these other things and we all need to put it together to get to a proper cause and eventual solution.
Your arm spasms etc
Hi,
Read your symptoms and would put money on you having some sort of pressure or compression of nerves in your neck, likely C6/7. Not a doctor but have had these problems myself for a year and a half now - pain in face and front/back of shoulder, radiating down arms and numb thumb/index/middle fingers. If you're having twitchy legs or pains in lower limbs you may have pressure on your spinal chord from one of your vertebrae. Suggest you get it checked out if you can. Good luck with it, and let me know how you get on,
Sarah
Twitching Bicep musscles
Hey, Sorry to hear about all you symtoms.The only 1 symtom that I had was about 6 years ago I had blurry vision in my right eye,got to the point that I couldn't read and driving was pretty hard.It seems to get real bad when I was excersising or when I got hot.My vision in the eye was like a fuzzy TV screen but like really bright so I couldn't see properly out of the eye. One day I was trying to read a book with my son and it just got better, Bang like lightning, I cried out and said I can see agian.
End of that and it hasn't happened again.
I did have 3 times where I have fainted for unknown reasons, Wnet to the hospital, had Blood tests,deep look into my eyes and a MRI and ECG. They could not find any problem, Said I was perfect. This has since cleared up and I have not had a spell for like 2 1/2 years.
Its a mystery to me, But its funny that you sent this message to me today cause my Bicep started twithcing today at work, My left one this time. I have not had the twitching for like 2 years now.
Mind you I have lost 6KG in the last 8 weeks, Bit weird. I have started a stressful job and I put it down to that.I think the mind burns more energy that excercise within reason.
I haven't really got any answers for you I'm sorry.
I do know that depression does lead to sickness and if you are depressed please just try to enjoy the small things in life. Nature is a miricale.
Thanks for replying. I do hope what I have said may be useful for you in some way.
Um, so what happens if you
Um, so what happens if you DON'T have a vitamin deficiency and you are watching what you eat and you have this? It is quite annoying but I have ruled out a lot of things. Especially since I mostly drink water, I stopped drinking soda 3 years ago.....
Well you know
This is just a theory and is that uncontrollable limb twitching is a sign of possession and i dont mean a little jolt i mean like a trembling looking arm or leg
ARMS LEGS THighs WAIST slightly Tic-ing/ Twitching
I am 25 years old. 3 years ago I started with very light sensing of something moving in my muscles. It made me only turn to see and capture my attention because it was not visible. i could only feel it. It happened mostly in my thighs and arms. specifically I dont know the names of the muscles, but in the arms, its between the shoulder and elbow in the inner lower part. And in the thighs also between the hips and the knee on the front side. The curious about this is that through time apprx 1 year later they are visible but mostly to me. No one could see it unless they really payed attention or were touching me. that kind of worried me. and also got me mad. I tried reproducing on purpose but it is totally different.
First of all I feel more related to the first person on these experiences (Matthew Lowe) and "35 year of sporadic twitching".
The twitching is half of the times rapidly. more than 10 times per second. and half of the time is slow, like 2,3 times / s. a little faster than the heart beat.
Now that i mention it. Thats how it feels like. Have any of you ever felt your own heart beat. Even yet seen your pulse. "seen" not felt. For me its around 4 inches (10cm) down from the left nipple. Of course thats where the heart is. for me, im very thin, and i can see a small area that goes in and out when the heart beats. Of course in general an area of about 4x4 inches moves with my heart beat, but if i really pay attention then i notice the center part actually having more inner and outter movements than the rest of the area.
Well that area of less than .2 by .2 square inch it what usually tics or twitches in my arms legs thighs and waist. it goes in and out around 10 times per second rapidly and sometimes about 2,3 times per second. I try reproducing these movements but i seem to move really bigger areas of my muscles.
TRy seeing the inner part of the palm of your hands. Then make a fist, a real hard fist and you will notice most of your muscles from your wrist to your elbow move. Well, try now moving only an area of 0.2 by 0.2 inches? i think is impossible..on purpose, but with my twitching it is.
now this only has to do with muscles i have not had so far movements that include bones. lets say a muscle on my finger that would make my whole finger move, no. or another muscle that would make move my arm and hot something, also not.
I notice per day i usually have them when im mad, angry, or stresed out. and specially if i dont eat or lose a meal. then they become more frecuently. But that doesnt mean if i am calm or rested for a few days i wont have them. I still do, just much less often.
ive been to the doctors but they only say try not to be so stressed out. or have better meals. "it will sure be lack of vitamins".
Ummm that doesnt help much.
Does anyone have better ideas?
it would sure help, .
Thanks a lot!
35 years of sporadic twitching.....so far!
I remember when my twitching began. I was 15 years old and the twitches(or muscular spasms)were localised around my lower back.(Apparently there is a substance fired by neurons called Acetyl Choline and this coats the muscle causing the spasms.)I remember because,as far as I was concerned,the cause of the twitching was due to the extreme stress I found myself under trying to cope with the disintegration of my family.
(By the way, I'm 50 now. Family still disintegrated.)
Well,years passed and I'd tried different types of medication to eliminate the twitches,which have since affected most,if not all of my muscles. My doctor prescribed Diazepam which I tried for around 5 years. No effect on the twitches though.
I then,after taking myself off Diazepam,tried some herbal remedies,specifically Valerian and then Scullcap. Still no effect on the twitches.Magnesium supplement hasn't worked either.(My twitches are not painful and they vary in time and intensity.Sometimes they last for a few seconds,other times for a few weeks.)
However,before you readers despair and become attracted to suicidal websites,I did discover something interesting that made me believe that my twitches,and maybe your twitches too!, are psychosomatic in nature.
The discovery? I don't have any twitches when I'm on holiday!
It took several holidays before I'd realised this and I reasoned that it is the lack of stress on a "relaxing" holiday that keeps the Acetyl Choline dormant. These days I try to keep stress under control by avoiding people and situations that may trigger my spasms.(Easier said I know!)
There's no doubt I'll have these twitches for the rest of my life but they're certainly not debilitating.The main problem for me is just a social one.If the twitches are on my face I don't go out.
I'm glad to have contributed my twitchy history.
fasting
consider and research a 2 week fast.
I'm 16 now, my left fore arm
I'm 16 now, my left fore arm has been twitching when I started doing my GCSEs. Can you suggest anything to me as my arm has been doing this for nerely a year now.
Acupuncture?
My first thought would be to seek out a licensed acupuncturist and consult with them. Chances are they have heard of this and may have some suggestions for you.
looking for opinions.....
Hi my name is Tiffany im 18 my father was diaganosed with lymphoma cancer in 2003 since then hes been through various kemo and radiation treatment and today hes in remission ... a little less than two years ago he was involved in a accident causing his 4-6 disks in his neck to deteriate and he has had surgery and they have been replaced and a titanium plate put in for support.. ever since his accident he has been suffering from twitching in his arms well most of the time its more of a shake in his hands and up his arms , well he doesnt notice it unless someone points it out or its a major shake im not looking for a diagnosis im just looking for options because the neurologist and nerosurgen dont really seem to care there focus on other things i just dont want it to be by passed and later become something bigger thank you for your time i greatly appreciate it :D
-Tiffany
father's twitching
Hi
I had something called torticollis or dystonia after 12 years and 40 doctors, specialists and alternates I diagnosed it myself. C4 and 5 in my neck had narrowed with a spur coming from them and making contact with my spinal cord. It could be that your father has some damage to his spinal cord, perhaps from the operation. He needs an M.R.I. which will show exactly what's going on. If his spine is compromised in any way but can only be treated for his symptoms then try a drug called Clofen. There are a couple of others that might work if Clofen doesn't but it has worked wonders for me.
Stephanie
Spasms
I had spasms, in my legs. I am on Atkins diet, and started taking a multi-vitamin, and they stopped. Just like that. I also take my daily dose of Omega 3 's
Spasms/twitching
I've noticed my muscles throughout my body but also having reactions in others as it happens. It's quite embarrassing because I notice it as well as the other/s. I'm not quite sure what to chalk it up too... Whenever it does happen I do tend to act adversely to the spasm trying to act like it wasn't me when it really wasn't all that noticeable.
Strange happenings... Tried changing my exercise habits and did notice a partial change but as the year went on it came back and has really been a hindrance for excelling without being self-conscious around others...
Though I will say this, alcohol does detour it for period of consumption mainly due to subduing it.
Any help or medical diagnoses I should look into it would be much appreciated.
Codiene withdrawl
I can attest that a change in drug intake, ie stopping the use of pain killers can result in a muscle twitch long after the withdraw symptoms. I had (lightly compared to most) abused codeine for years and managed to quit a few months ago. After I was in the clear I got an intermittent eye twitch that did not subside for more than a month. It was annoying enough to get me to risk another week of codeine use. As soon as the drug was back in my system, my eye stopped twitching. I weened myself off again a week later and everything seemed good.
Now weeks later, when I thought I was in the clear again sans twitches one has erupted again between forefinger in thumb. All I can say is... this is better than it being in the corner of my eye...I can live with it. I think eventually it will balance out if I maintain a good diet and exercise and get plenty of rest.
Now to give up the evil of caffeine...
In the 1990s there was a big
In the 1990s there was a big cult about urban witchcraft which has been censored. Also have been censored are video recordings of lip movements alleged to have occurred through sleep hypnosis. Basically the "crazy" theory is that your wife or whoever it is female you have slept with was the victim of a peado network when she was 4 years old, and now has the ability to control her involuntary central nervous system upon command. When you are asleep or awake and behind your back she generates false messages within the body which are by definition hypnosis because your body kept a record of this and your subconscious is telling your conscious mind that you have been deceived through your body now, and won't stop until you access the correct external realities by creating an imagination about this reality which your body understands to be correct. Your body is telling you that you are a zebra who believes that the lion is its friend. Okay witch-burning is totally counter productive as are witch hunts because there is never any historical and lasting evidence that any of this is at all possible. There was a radio 4 play about this which was broadcast in October 2009 which "they" (telepathic they) let slip through the censorship by accident. Anybody who promotes these ideas as articulately as I have might become a name on a missing persons database. There was a book written in the 1960s about Satan's helpers. Okay, try forcing yourself to believe that Satan exists between the conscious and subconscious mind when the conscious mind is starved of truth and they become out of sync. Your subconscious mind is more powerful, telling you that your wife has been twitching like this in her sleep. Force yourself to believe that your wife was human until the age of 4 when nobody noticed that her mind and body became part of the master species, the super-consciousness. This is a species without choice, a robot army which can hear your thoughts and is international and is the creator of all social and legal systems. The genome is human, the body and mind are not, and the robot would choose that the heart would stop beating if choice was an option. Now believe that nobody can detect this cuckoo because why can't humans be subject to a higher species such as an infant sodomizing subconscious communicating alien, also known as a witch, which is nothing more than biological technology gone horribly wrong. Okay delusion is fashion for thought, and you generate the delusion that this is impossible within your mind because belief about impossibility is NOT scientific, yet is bigotted because you think that the cultures of your tribe are the laws of the Universe. This began many millenniums before Christ and the bible was a book about the prevalence of hypnotic biological technology involving infant sodomy. Not nice. It lost something in its translation somewhere through the centuries. Because deception occurs at a subconscious level any of this species can pass all lie detector tests anytime. There are 100 million of them. Okay? Maybe you will have problems believing this. . . and the twitch may be suppressed with drugs. We are die in the end. They don't. They survive by hypnotizing men to be peadophiles which is how they reproduce by stealing the minds and bodies of the human to become part of the super-consciousness, and if you can't hear this you probably wouldn't believe the local schizophrenic about how the mayor's wife told another lady without speaking about a form of butchery which will occur next Tuesday night when they go for an evening stroll. This was obviously not possible with you, hence the twitches as accelerated body harm. She never had any fun with you. You never understood what she really wanted you to do. You chose to believe your wishes.
help!
Hi, I really don't know how to explain this but I have been feeling a weird sensation in my entire left side of my body. It starts from my left temporal lobe to my left side of my face, lip, chest, arm, leg... all on the left side. I do not not know how to describe it, I am very healthy and active with no family history of neurological problems, but I just do not know what it is :(.. I do not feel pain or tireness, but the weird sensation is there,,
What is it?
Help!
Thanks...
Spasm on the left part of my body
I am a 24 year old guy who has been suffering from timely spasm on the left side of my body.At first I attributed the spasms to a great amount of stress, but they continued even if I am not stressed.I recently remembered I was stabbed between the shoulder and the neck and the wound hit a bone somewhere there.I now think the spasm is caused by that wound and the occasional stress I get as a scholar.
I would be grateful if I get feedback on my problem since its been with me for years now.
Consider checking out Dr. John Sarno's theory
Dr. John Sarno has a theory that has been proven with thousands of patients, that more often than not, the cause of chronic symptoms, especially pain, but also other symptoms, are related to deeply suppressed subconcious rage and also all the pressure we put on ourselves to be good, be 'perfect', etc.
Most of the time we are not even remotely aware of this anger and rage -- and pressure -- but if we don't acknowledge this, and release it -- then we develop chronic illness, which is "safer" than dealing with these issues.
He isn't saying this is all in our heads, but that there is a mind-body connection. You can check out the wikipedia page on Dr. Sarno, and especially check out the 20/20 news report linked on the wikipedia page.
Best regards.
Chronic symptoms caused by deeply suppressed subconcious rage -
"Chronic symptoms are caused by deeply suppressed subconcious rage" is what a doctor would say to patient when they (the doctor) does not know the cause of the problem And they feel the patient is more intelligent than them and will eventuially find out the cause of their signs and symptoms from a more qualified professional.
For the doctor he gets to refer the patient to a psychologist, who is appreciative of the referral and will reciprocate by referring patients of their own to that doctor if they feel it appropriate - a sought mutual advertising.
I myself have within the past year been diagnosed with Dopa-responsive Dystonia, a genetic condition which gave me an awkward gait as a youngster and tightened my muscles and twisted my hands. As one gets older you get muscle twitches and myoclonioc jerks, starting maybe in your 20s or 30s. By the time you are in your 40s you are loosing balance, falling over and quite uncoordinated. This is when a truthful neurologist will refer you on to a genetic neurologist and you will be diagnosed and commenced on dopamine.
This condition also affects the autonomic nervous system. It is not yet documented in medical literature if this condition leads to a Parkinson Plus syndrome as studies on it really only started in the 1990s. In the support group I am in a lot of the people are in their 40s and say they have been spun that say bull**** by inept doctors; however they eventually found that dopamine helped them. Although the dopamine has helped them immensely, some are left embittered by years of wasteful 'therapy' which did not help their symptoms but just made them poorer.
As I am a nurse who has worked extensively with aquired brain injury, congenital brain disorders and traumatic orthopaedic victims as well as various types of arthritic conditions I can judge a gait disorder better than most general pratitioners. "Inept doctors" do not stand a chance around me.
Any one reading this who has a tremor see a genetic neurologist. Do not waste your time with doctors who tell you that you have suppressed anger. I myself KNOW that this is made up by doctors as something to say to patients who display conditions of which they themselves do not know the cause. They are taught to say this so that they still feel that they have the upper hand over the patient.
Your point is well taken...
Certainly there are genetic conditions and other diseases that certainly are not all caused by subconcious rage or other suppressed issues.
But to make a blanket statement that Sarno's theory is "made up by doctors as something to say to patients who display conditions of which they themselves do not know the cause" shows that you have neither read any of his books, you haven't even taken 5 minutes to watch the 20/20 report on the wikipedia page.
The only reason his theory developed over the years is because the conventional treatments he prescribed, for the most part did not work, and yet his subconcious rage theory DID work, even in patients with herniated discs, etc..
Calling him an 'inept doctor' is an insult, and kind of an angry one too.
Inept doctors clarified for one anonymous person
Dear "Anonymous" One of many 'anonymous' people on this website,
I had read the wikipedia page on Dr Sarno prior to writing my comment. He is a Rehabilitation consultant, if I remember correctly and he was from New York, born 1923.
The 'inept doctors' I was referring to are the doctors who 'treated' the other people in my support group and also one who 'treated' me.
It was a GP who said to me once that my stiff muscles were the result of suppressed anger. [The tight muscles I was born with.] He had delivered our daughter and looked after us for years. He could not handle my deterioration, especially since I look years younger than my age. When I told him that I knew I had a Parkinsonian condition he said : "I can not be your doctor any more. You know too much about your condition, Anything I have said to you in the past, you will see right through." That was a virtual apology in its self. Other times when I have rang him since, he has actually apologised for trying to tell me that I suffered from anxiety.
The most senior neurologist in my state (head of several hospitals neurology departments) as well as my own neurologist who specialises in movement disorders and my geneticist neurologist have all said that if I experienced any anxiety it was to do with my unstable autonomic nervous system, which is due to demyelination of some of my cranial nerves. They told me not to have any contact with that GP.
This scenario that I described above has happened to many of the people in my support group. My exGP only said that to me once (pain is caused by suppressed anger). Many people with DRD have been told that repeatedly by different doctors. I guess I escaped that torment because they could not fool someone who works in the same area as them.
I have actually read in neurology medical journals that doctors are taught to say that to patients, when they cannot find a diagnosis. It keeps the patient in the system (giving work to various healthcare workers) and keeps the power on the doctors side.
Yes, you did notice anger. However it is not susuppressed. I KNOW why I am angry and who I am angry with. Anger is the emotion felt when someone knows that something or someone has done something wrong to them.
I have also worked with doctors (actually these ones were surgeons in training - registrars [fellows in US]) who told patients lies because they could not handle telling them that their cancer had metastasised and that they had several different types of cancer as well.
PLEASE DO NOT go around telling people you have not met on websites that they have suppressed anger unless YOU actually have known that person all their life and know it to be true.
I have two herniated discs in my lumbar spine, one in my thoracic and 2 in my cervical spine. I believe they and the early osteoarthritis in my hands and feet (I am only 44) is related to years of dystonia and spasm. They do not bother me at all, only when they first popped as I exercise to strengthen my muscles thereby increasing the space between the joints because of added muscle bulk. They cause me no pain in themselves and I have learnt to move 'around' them without any need for a Dr Sarno.
My bad...
Looking back at my post I didn't choose the best wording...I should have said in some circumstances these physical problems "may", not "are" due to suppressed anger.
But I did say the following, which I guess you overlooked:
"Certainly there are genetic conditions and other diseases that certainly are not all caused by subconcious rage or other suppressed issues."
I'm sorry you're so ill, truly, and can understand your anger, but I hope, for YOUR sake, you can learn to forgive and eventually let go of it. As the old saying goes, "Resentment is like taking a poison and expecting the other person to die".
Thank you for your reply.
Don't worry I have actually forgiven my old GP, he is too much of a nice person not to forgive him for what he thought was the right thing to do/say at the time, as my GP. And I really miss him.
I am doing everything possible nutrition, exercise and self-actualisation wise to have a healthy life.
twitching arm
my daughter is 9yrs old since last sunday night, her arm has not stopped shaking/jerking it is now fri, it never stops, the doctor sent her to the childrens a&e as he was baffled as to what is was as was 2 specialists at the hospital they did many tests, basic ones to test if the doctor held his finger out she had to touch with her hand, she could only do this slowly and if he moved his finger she couldnt manage it, also reflexs oh her right arm failed also, while her left arm was fine, they did tests for 2hrs, she has to have an mri scan but this takes 2-6wks.
a bit about my daughter she is a very active girl she dances twice a week and gymnastics 3 times a week, she has had no injury before any one asks, doctors have asked the same, i would say she has a well balanced diet, she has good social skills and loves playing, also what i forgot to say she can get cold with this, please if anybody has any ideas what this is xxx a very worried mum xxx
twitching arm
My 9 year old daughter has started with the same symptoms as yours, started on sunday and now its friday and she is still the same we have had tests done at hospital and all have come back clear we are a bit baffled. could you tell me how your daughter is now has she got better or still the same??
another worried mumXXXXX
Muscle Twitching
Hi just like to add two possible causes of muscle twitching that have not yet been posted hope they help. Many people suffer from twitching after having a Viral Infection. This virus can stay dormant in the body for years and develop to attack the nervous system. The immune system can not tame the virus when it is weak or under stress due to poor diet, inadequate sleep, illness etc, this may explain why muscle twitching is more active when not leading a healthy life style. Muscle twitching is also a symptom of arsenic piosoning so other toxcins found in many of our foods may cause the same effects.