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Are Twitching Of Arms And Weakness Symptoms Of ALS ?

Posted on Mon, 1 Jun 2015

Question: Hi! I have some of the symptoms of ALS and I'm wondering if I can run them by you.

Answered by Dr. Rakesh Madhyastha (4 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Als

Detailed Answer:
Hello

Thanks for the query

Please run by your symptoms by me, I will be glad to help you out. During my training in internal medicine I was in a good institute for neurology and I have seen many als cases

Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Rakesh Madhyastha (8 minutes later)

Just to give you the full backstory, I was diagnosed with a benign cavernous hemangioma of the brain in the beginning of March. I had a panic attack and started getting all these weird symptoms. I thought I had MS or a stroke and I went to the ER and they gave me ativan. I worked out on Ativan and I think I went past my limit (I weightlifted on a bike) and woke up two nights later with ringing bilateral arm pain and ankle soreness. After a bunch of blood tests (normal)- was diagnosed with Thoracic Outlet Syndrome. The ankle problems also seemed like nerve issues and are still present. I had foot pain as well.
One thing everyone agreed on was that i have anxiety. So I recently went on Lexapro. I hated it. I'm not sure if I was actually allergic to it but I had prickly sensations and was standing up one night and started to feel really weak in the hips and thighs and had to sit down, and then the next night, after discontinuing it, I had brain zaps and two back spasms.
Once I went off of it (I only took it for three days) I woke up one morning in a hurry and my thigh was numb- it took only a minute to warm it up again and it worked fine but it was really strange.
My physical therapist also said I passed all the neurological tests they do and that she would be surprised if anything showed on an EMG.
And then this week I started to get more twitching where my arms are (not sure if this is TOS?) and also along my back and at my legs and knees. Also the feeling of ants running through my feet. Not sure what to make of all of this.
I guess I want to know- if this were ALS would the weakness have stayed with me? I went jogging last night and everything was fine. I'm mostly just worried right now about the twitching and the fact that I have TOS (which seems to have improved a great deal minus the nerve sensations). Thank you!

Also want to note that the neurosurgeon I went to also did a basic exam and said I didn't have MS or ALS based on our exam. (I can walk on toes, heels, hop on one foot, and my gait is normal). I'm not sure if I should just let go of this and move forward and get the EMG. Thanks you for your help!

Answered by Dr. Rakesh Madhyastha (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Not suggestive of als

Detailed Answer:
Hello

Thanks for getting back with great details. From the history you have given me it does not look like als.
Here are some of the features of als

1. Progressive weakeness in different group of muscles. For example right lower limb and left upper limb. In the sense it will not be symmetrical weakeness
2. twitching it big muscle bundles
3. it is painless

What you might have is benign twitching of the muscle fibres which can occur if you are dehydrated , some electrolyte disturbance or viral infection . Sometimes it can twitch for no apparent reason at all

I hope I was of help, if you have any further clarifications please get back to me

Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Rakesh Madhyastha (13 minutes later)

Thank you for your expertise. It's much appreciated!

Answered by Dr. Rakesh Madhyastha (2 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Follow up

Detailed Answer:
Hello

I am glad I was of help , I hope my reply to you reduced your anxiety a little

Regards

Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar