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Dr. Andrew Rynne

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Tongue Slightly Twitches And Have Trouble Swallowing. Is It Due To Bulbar ALS?

I am a 23 year old medical student from Europe. I saw a neurologist 3 weeks ago because of my fear of MS i MG. My reflexes are normal,no Babinski sign,bulbomotorics is fine. Now, I have a fear of bulbar ALS because i noticed my tongue slightly twitches. Knowing everything I know about the disease, i developed trouble swallowing. I have a feeling that food sticks in my throat and then it starts to tickle. My gag reflex is fine,it's just a sensation that I get when I am eating. I dont even know if my tounge really twitches or it's normal movements since I never took the time to notice it.
Fri, 31 Jan 2014
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Neurologist,  's  Response
Hi,

Thank you for posting your query.

Every medical student goes through this phase, when after noting a few symptoms, it starts to look like a serious disease what he/she has read in the medical textbook.

As a neurologist, I can assure you that your symptoms are not suggestive of bulbar ALS or any other serious neurological disease.

When a patient with bulbar ALS develops swallowing problem, there would be slurred speech, nasal twang in the speech, coughing or choking while swallowing and the tongue would be wasted (thinned out).

I hope my answer helps. Please get back if you have any follow up queries or if you require any additional information.

Wishing you good health,

Dr Sudhir Kumar MD (Internal Medicine), DM (Neurology)
Senior Consultant Neurologist
Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad, India
Click on this link to ask me a DIRECT QUERY: http://bit.ly/Dr-Sudhir-kumar
My BLOG: http://bestneurodoctor.blogspot.in

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Tongue Slightly Twitches And Have Trouble Swallowing. Is It Due To Bulbar ALS?

Hi, Thank you for posting your query. Every medical student goes through this phase, when after noting a few symptoms, it starts to look like a serious disease what he/she has read in the medical textbook. As a neurologist, I can assure you that your symptoms are not suggestive of bulbar ALS or any other serious neurological disease. When a patient with bulbar ALS develops swallowing problem, there would be slurred speech, nasal twang in the speech, coughing or choking while swallowing and the tongue would be wasted (thinned out). I hope my answer helps. Please get back if you have any follow up queries or if you require any additional information. Wishing you good health, Dr Sudhir Kumar MD (Internal Medicine), DM (Neurology) Senior Consultant Neurologist Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad, India Click on this link to ask me a DIRECT QUERY: http://bit.ly/Dr-Sudhir-kumar My BLOG: http://bestneurodoctor.blogspot.in