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Suggest Remedy For Muscle Twitching Caused By Depression
Question: Hi I have been very depressed for months and I have no reason to be but I am having while sitting and laying down twitching in my shoulders and thighs sometimes in my forearm too.
I can walk fine so far but I have never had this twitching before and without pain, the twitches are gone before you know it. It is bothering me whether I have MS or ALS. I had a mri done and it came back inconclusive.
The twitching is intermittent and does not last long
What are your views
I can walk fine so far but I have never had this twitching before and without pain, the twitches are gone before you know it. It is bothering me whether I have MS or ALS. I had a mri done and it came back inconclusive.
The twitching is intermittent and does not last long
What are your views
Brief Answer:
MS and ALS very unlikely.
Detailed Answer:
Hello and thanks for being here at HCM.
I have read your question and understand your concerns.
As we discussed before, serious neurologic conditions such MS ( multiple sclerosis ) and ALS ( amyotrophic lateral sclerosis ) are very unlikely to be the cause of your symptoms.
One of diagnostic criteria of MS is a positive MRI in finding white matter lesions consistent with MS.
Your age also is another reason to exclude MS.
Regarding to ALS, early symptoms include: difficulty doing daily activities, walking, legs and arms weakness, problems with speech and swallowing, difficulty keeping body posture, muscles cramps and twitching in tongue, arms and shoulders.
So, just muscles twitching is not significant enough to discuss about ALS.
Depression instead, could mimic a number of conditions and could cause muscles twitching too.
If still in doubt, you can discuss with your primary care Doctor about having done nerve conduction studies (EMG) of your extremities to exclude by testing too ALS.
Hope you found the answer helpful.
Let me know if I can assist you further.
Take care.
MS and ALS very unlikely.
Detailed Answer:
Hello and thanks for being here at HCM.
I have read your question and understand your concerns.
As we discussed before, serious neurologic conditions such MS ( multiple sclerosis ) and ALS ( amyotrophic lateral sclerosis ) are very unlikely to be the cause of your symptoms.
One of diagnostic criteria of MS is a positive MRI in finding white matter lesions consistent with MS.
Your age also is another reason to exclude MS.
Regarding to ALS, early symptoms include: difficulty doing daily activities, walking, legs and arms weakness, problems with speech and swallowing, difficulty keeping body posture, muscles cramps and twitching in tongue, arms and shoulders.
So, just muscles twitching is not significant enough to discuss about ALS.
Depression instead, could mimic a number of conditions and could cause muscles twitching too.
If still in doubt, you can discuss with your primary care Doctor about having done nerve conduction studies (EMG) of your extremities to exclude by testing too ALS.
Hope you found the answer helpful.
Let me know if I can assist you further.
Take care.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
Just a quick follow up question,
I was out pulling weeds from the garden and that night my muscles and joints were very painful almost like arthritis. Then after awhile the pains lessened but still have a bit of pain with muscle twitches and small jerking.
Over the past little while I have been experiencing a lot of mucus in my throat and is very thick and hard to clear.
Could these have anything to do with ms.
Thanks,
Sorry to bother you but I am concerned since the Mri came back inconclusive.
XXXXXXX
I was out pulling weeds from the garden and that night my muscles and joints were very painful almost like arthritis. Then after awhile the pains lessened but still have a bit of pain with muscle twitches and small jerking.
Over the past little while I have been experiencing a lot of mucus in my throat and is very thick and hard to clear.
Could these have anything to do with ms.
Thanks,
Sorry to bother you but I am concerned since the Mri came back inconclusive.
XXXXXXX
Brief Answer:
There is no relation with MS.
Detailed Answer:
Hi again XXXXXXX
Feel free to ask questions whenever you need, we are here to help.
Muscles and joint pain together with small jerking were most probably a consequence of physical activity and probably fatigue.
Thick mucus in throat isn't a symptom of MS or any other neurological condition, it is most probably caused by cold or inhalation of dust or weeds components.
Hope this will help you.
Take care.
There is no relation with MS.
Detailed Answer:
Hi again XXXXXXX
Feel free to ask questions whenever you need, we are here to help.
Muscles and joint pain together with small jerking were most probably a consequence of physical activity and probably fatigue.
Thick mucus in throat isn't a symptom of MS or any other neurological condition, it is most probably caused by cold or inhalation of dust or weeds components.
Hope this will help you.
Take care.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Neel Kudchadkar
Hi Dr spaho
I just found out from my Gp's office what the report of the mri said.
The mri came back inconclusive but they found white matter around the brain and the conclusion was that it might have been due to an migraines. I have not had a migraine in since the mid 90's and the type of migraine was like an aura it lasted for about 20 minutes then went away and I developed a headache after that.
I have also had head trauma around 2001 do you think that is what the white matter could have been that and is all white matter considered ms.
Should the guy that reads the mri be able to tell the difference in the white matter from margarines due to ms and that due to other things.
Still very concerned ,
XXXXXXX
I just found out from my Gp's office what the report of the mri said.
The mri came back inconclusive but they found white matter around the brain and the conclusion was that it might have been due to an migraines. I have not had a migraine in since the mid 90's and the type of migraine was like an aura it lasted for about 20 minutes then went away and I developed a headache after that.
I have also had head trauma around 2001 do you think that is what the white matter could have been that and is all white matter considered ms.
Should the guy that reads the mri be able to tell the difference in the white matter from margarines due to ms and that due to other things.
Still very concerned ,
XXXXXXX
Brief Answer:
White matter changes can be caused by several conditions.
Detailed Answer:
Welcome back and thanks for being on follow up.
White matter lesions found on brain MRI could be related to several conditions, not only to MS.
In general, every condition that may be linked to white matter changes shows its own specific features in MRI findings.
Those features of white matter changes include size, distribution, shape, number of lesions, localization ( deep or superficial, around ventricles or around optic nerves etc.).
It is true that migraine headaches are linked to white matter changes on MRI, as is true that other conditions such dementia, moderate to severe brain trauma ( diffuse axonal injury ), hypoxia (or prolonged oxygen absence in brain tissue), vasculitis, infections and MS cause white changes in MRI too.
An experienced Radiologyst or a Neuroradiologist could tell almost exactly the difference between these lesions.
In some cases also white matter changes found on MRI remain without a specific case.
If no conclusive then a second opinion by a Neuroradiologist is a possibility to understand better your condition.
If you could upload some screenshots of your brain MRI, I could understand better the condition.
Hope I've been of help.
Take care.
White matter changes can be caused by several conditions.
Detailed Answer:
Welcome back and thanks for being on follow up.
White matter lesions found on brain MRI could be related to several conditions, not only to MS.
In general, every condition that may be linked to white matter changes shows its own specific features in MRI findings.
Those features of white matter changes include size, distribution, shape, number of lesions, localization ( deep or superficial, around ventricles or around optic nerves etc.).
It is true that migraine headaches are linked to white matter changes on MRI, as is true that other conditions such dementia, moderate to severe brain trauma ( diffuse axonal injury ), hypoxia (or prolonged oxygen absence in brain tissue), vasculitis, infections and MS cause white changes in MRI too.
An experienced Radiologyst or a Neuroradiologist could tell almost exactly the difference between these lesions.
In some cases also white matter changes found on MRI remain without a specific case.
If no conclusive then a second opinion by a Neuroradiologist is a possibility to understand better your condition.
If you could upload some screenshots of your brain MRI, I could understand better the condition.
Hope I've been of help.
Take care.
Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Neel Kudchadkar
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