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Are Tremors In Fingers Symptom Of An ALS?

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Posted on Wed, 3 Dec 2014
Question: Hi, Doctor. Thank you for checking back. I must say too, my comment about Massachusetts being a "Mecca" of education was just me trying to elicit a smile. I live in Indiana now and there are so many great doctors in the area.

I'm still not finding any weakness at 7 weeks of occasional generalized fasciculations. I guess people miss signs of weakness but I'm lifting things, doing things I've always done normally. Plus, given my occasional twitches "move around" and are more frequent when I'm at rest. I'll get one in my left upper arm, then 5 or 10 minutes later in my right thigh...maybe 15 minutes later in my left calf or a glute or back to my right arm. No weakness I can judge and no muscle area twitching much more than another. I can go a couple hours too without noticing much of anything at all when I'm active.

The only thing maybe of concern, and you can tell me if it is, would be that I sometimes get tiny tremors in my fingers. Again no weakness I can tell, no coordination or dexterity issues, just a finger or two that seems to have a slight tremor on occasion. Are tremors an ALS sign early on?

Thanks again for checking with me. I've had the twitching for 7 weeks now. I'm seemingly normal in all functions. I'm hoping that because they began in a time of great fatigue and stress for me and the elevated anxiety I've dealt with ever since is a sign that it's not ALS driving this but my own nervous system needing to relax and return to normal rest and reduced stress.
XXXXXXX
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Answered by Dr. Dariush Saghafi (34 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Terribly uncharacteristic short answer but you'll like it

Detailed Answer:
So nice to hear from you.....it seems we almost got your anxiety buttons calmed down about these fasculations don't we? Maybe this is the real honest to goodness turning point....here we go.

I read your entire note and believe you asked a most important question which contains the key to why I believe you should feel convinced about when I tell you that to this day I still believe your diagnosis IS NOT ALS.

Your question was: Are tremors an ALS sign early on?

ANSWER: Twitches or muscle fasciculations are not at all felt to be an EARLY sign or manifestation of ALS. The fact, that you have fascics, no weakness, and generalized types of twitchings over the whole body....highly suggests NO ALS for you tonight! LOL....

Now, I ask you does this seem like a note I would've written? Is that it you say? Yep, that is all she wrote...for many reasons this is not ALS.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Bhagyalaxmi Nalaparaju
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Answered by
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Dr. Dariush Saghafi

Neurologist

Practicing since :1988

Answered : 2473 Questions

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Are Tremors In Fingers Symptom Of An ALS?

Brief Answer: Terribly uncharacteristic short answer but you'll like it Detailed Answer: So nice to hear from you.....it seems we almost got your anxiety buttons calmed down about these fasculations don't we? Maybe this is the real honest to goodness turning point....here we go. I read your entire note and believe you asked a most important question which contains the key to why I believe you should feel convinced about when I tell you that to this day I still believe your diagnosis IS NOT ALS. Your question was: Are tremors an ALS sign early on? ANSWER: Twitches or muscle fasciculations are not at all felt to be an EARLY sign or manifestation of ALS. The fact, that you have fascics, no weakness, and generalized types of twitchings over the whole body....highly suggests NO ALS for you tonight! LOL.... Now, I ask you does this seem like a note I would've written? Is that it you say? Yep, that is all she wrote...for many reasons this is not ALS.