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What Causes Weakness In Legs And Hands Along With Muscle Twitches?
Question: So for the past year or so every once in a while i have kinda felt weak in my legs, i didnt always feel like this so i just kinda thought that it was in my head, now over the past week or so i have felt like i have had weak legs, and my hands feel a little weak, i also looked up information on ALS and saw that muscle fasiculations was a symptom, and i had gotten those every so often in the past, but since i read that a few days ago it seems like i am have little muscle twitches all the time... Im really scared that i have ALS...
Brief Answer:
ALS really improbable.
Detailed Answer:
I read your question carefully and I understand your concern. The fear of having ALS has become a common theme it seems as many people ask the question these days, I suppose the raised awareness from the ice bucket challenge has its downside as well.
I don't think you have ALS for a simple reason which is your age, you are too young to have the disease, it happens much later in life. Mean age of onset for non familial ALS is 65 years, I don't recall to have seen any case younger than 40. So that reason alone is enough to make ALS very improbable.
The evolution is not typical either, as it is an insidious weakness involving one limb not both limbs symmetrically as you describe it.
Muscle fasciculations are a common phenomenon especially in young individuals who have a tendency towards anxiety (which from what I see in your previous questions is your case as well), they are benign fasciculations do not worry.
Some routine blood tests (perhaps you've already done them) are recommended like blood count, blood sugar, liver and kidney function, thyroid function, electrolytes (esp low magnesium is related to benign fasciculations).
It's not ALS though do not worry.
I hope to have been of help.
ALS really improbable.
Detailed Answer:
I read your question carefully and I understand your concern. The fear of having ALS has become a common theme it seems as many people ask the question these days, I suppose the raised awareness from the ice bucket challenge has its downside as well.
I don't think you have ALS for a simple reason which is your age, you are too young to have the disease, it happens much later in life. Mean age of onset for non familial ALS is 65 years, I don't recall to have seen any case younger than 40. So that reason alone is enough to make ALS very improbable.
The evolution is not typical either, as it is an insidious weakness involving one limb not both limbs symmetrically as you describe it.
Muscle fasciculations are a common phenomenon especially in young individuals who have a tendency towards anxiety (which from what I see in your previous questions is your case as well), they are benign fasciculations do not worry.
Some routine blood tests (perhaps you've already done them) are recommended like blood count, blood sugar, liver and kidney function, thyroid function, electrolytes (esp low magnesium is related to benign fasciculations).
It's not ALS though do not worry.
I hope to have been of help.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thank you for your response!!! That really makes me feel better. Do you have any idea what could be causing my muscle weakness though?
Brief Answer:
Causes could be many.
Detailed Answer:
Muscle weakness can have a wide range of causes. It can be true muscle weakness or perceived muscle weakness or fatigue which is often related to psychological factors like depression and anxiety.
Because the causes can be variable in order to determine that, it usually is started with tests for the most common factors like anemia, thyroid function changes, changes in electrolytes, which is why I recommended the tests above. If those tests come back normal and meanwhile the symptom persists then a neurological visit is recommended to check whether it is true muscle weakness, degree and accompanying signs which could indicate a neurological or other condition.
In the meantime a regular lifestyle with proper sleep, diet and lifestyle is recommended.
I hope to have been of help.
Causes could be many.
Detailed Answer:
Muscle weakness can have a wide range of causes. It can be true muscle weakness or perceived muscle weakness or fatigue which is often related to psychological factors like depression and anxiety.
Because the causes can be variable in order to determine that, it usually is started with tests for the most common factors like anemia, thyroid function changes, changes in electrolytes, which is why I recommended the tests above. If those tests come back normal and meanwhile the symptom persists then a neurological visit is recommended to check whether it is true muscle weakness, degree and accompanying signs which could indicate a neurological or other condition.
In the meantime a regular lifestyle with proper sleep, diet and lifestyle is recommended.
I hope to have been of help.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Do you think that i could have a brain tumor?? If you look through my previous questions you can see that i have had problems with headaches over the past 8 months, now i think that this could just be another symptom??
Brief Answer:
Unlikely
Detailed Answer:
Yes I had already read your questions about headache. Headache is a symptom of brain tumor but your case doesn't look a typical brain tumor headache from the description. The description you make of those scalp feelings is not found in brain tumor, it manifests no such external signs in the skin or the scalp.
So as bothering as those phenomena might seem to you, I as a neurologist see them as sign of a benign nature of the headache, typical mostly for tension type headache.
Also since it has been 8 months by now a brain tumor by continuing to grow would manifest other symptoms and signs due to raised intracranial pressure and compression of normal brain structures.
If the headaches seem to be of an increasing intensity with vomiting a head CT or MRI can be scheduled, but I doubt anything serious will come out of it really.
Wishing you good health!
Unlikely
Detailed Answer:
Yes I had already read your questions about headache. Headache is a symptom of brain tumor but your case doesn't look a typical brain tumor headache from the description. The description you make of those scalp feelings is not found in brain tumor, it manifests no such external signs in the skin or the scalp.
So as bothering as those phenomena might seem to you, I as a neurologist see them as sign of a benign nature of the headache, typical mostly for tension type headache.
Also since it has been 8 months by now a brain tumor by continuing to grow would manifest other symptoms and signs due to raised intracranial pressure and compression of normal brain structures.
If the headaches seem to be of an increasing intensity with vomiting a head CT or MRI can be scheduled, but I doubt anything serious will come out of it really.
Wishing you good health!
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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