Suggest Remedy For Weakness In The Arm And Forearm

Posted on Tue, 5 May 2015

Question: For like 5 weeks now i have felt weak in my right arm, at the start it kinda felt like it was both, but then after i asked on here about ALS i was told that that only started in one limb then moved, well since then it has just been my right arm that has felt weak, mostly it has felt like weakness and tightness in my hand and forearm, but i also feel weak up to my bicep sometimes too, im really worried that i have ALS!!! Please help

Answered by Dr. Urszula Stanko (2 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Try to relax.

Detailed Answer:
Hello,

Welcome to Healthcare Magic.

I had gone through your question and understand your concerns.

Symptoms like tight, stiff muscles and hand weakness which spreads to other parts of your body may indicate ALS. You should experience difficulty with simple manual tasks like writing or buttoning.

Please note that ALS most commonly occurs in people older than 40 years ( between the ages of 40 and 60).

In my opinion you do not have to be worry about ALS.

You may feel weak in your right arm because of overwork or lack of exercise which is the most common cause of muscle weakness. Stressful situation may also cause weakness.

If you can not handle with your fears I suggest you to talk with your doctor about electromyogram (EMG) which is used to diagnose ALS.

Hope I have answered your question. If you have any further questions I will be happy to help.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj

Follow up: Dr. Urszula Stanko (20 minutes later)

I am terrified, if you look through some of my previous questions you can see that i have health anxiety, so i have been freaking out for the past five weeks, i have also been having muscle fasciculations for the past 5 weeks after i saw that they were a symptom of ALS, also if you look into my questions, another thing that i was conserned about a few months ago was a thyroid problem, so i am hoping that this is like carpal tunnel or something being caused by that, i have had other things that make me believe that i have thyroid issues, such as digestive problems, this muscle weakness, neck pain, headaches, i have been getting sick a lot over the past 8-10 months, which wasnt the case before... I am really scared that i have this serious deadly disease though!!

Answered by Dr. Urszula Stanko (27 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Anxiety is the most probable reason.

Detailed Answer:

Yes, hypothyroidism can cause constipation, muscle weakness and headaches. Also anxiety can lead to weakness. Please note that this is very common for anxiety to cause muscle weakness because stress tenses your muscles and reduces blood flow in your muscles. You should learn how to control your fear because it can destroy your life.

Summary: In my opinion you do not have ALS. The most probable reason of your symptoms are problems with thyroid gland and anxiety.

Best regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D

Follow up: Dr. Urszula Stanko (6 hours later)

In your opinion what should be my next step in trying to get treated?

Answered by Dr. Urszula Stanko (4 hours later)

Brief Answer:
medications relieve anxiety.

Detailed Answer:
Hello,

First of all you should exercise regularly. This will help you cope better with stress. Also regular exercise is good for your physical health (reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease). If you drink alcohol or smoke stop it.

Make sure you're getting enough sleep.

The next step is to consult with your doctor so that he or she will prescribe you medications. Anxiety respond very good to treatment. This will relieve anxiety symptoms.

Best regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Pradeep Vitta