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Had Flu. Started Feeling Nervous, Weakness In Legs And Lump In Neck. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis?
Question: Dear Sir,
I lately had a flu about a month ago and after that subsided i felt some nervousness ocassionally, i thught having a poor diet during flu might have lead to weakness...but one month after that i still ocassionally more so lately feel both my legs are still weak and buckle as i bend them, i feel as if the energy is draining off the legs, I also ocassionally lately get body jerks especially in the legs when i am sleeping sometimes other parts of the body too. I feel a lump in the neck which is not painful but i feel that when i swallow saliava also, I also have a stiff upper right back whic i can sense as i move my neck forward - like a sharp pain feels as if a nerve is dislocated at that point. I also lately had a twitching right and left eyelids right is more often than the left ..I am afraid it is ASL. I am worried. Please advise me what i should do.
XXXXXXX
I lately had a flu about a month ago and after that subsided i felt some nervousness ocassionally, i thught having a poor diet during flu might have lead to weakness...but one month after that i still ocassionally more so lately feel both my legs are still weak and buckle as i bend them, i feel as if the energy is draining off the legs, I also ocassionally lately get body jerks especially in the legs when i am sleeping sometimes other parts of the body too. I feel a lump in the neck which is not painful but i feel that when i swallow saliava also, I also have a stiff upper right back whic i can sense as i move my neck forward - like a sharp pain feels as if a nerve is dislocated at that point. I also lately had a twitching right and left eyelids right is more often than the left ..I am afraid it is ASL. I am worried. Please advise me what i should do.
XXXXXXX
Hi XXXXXXX
Thank you posting your query.
At the outset, I would like to reassure you that your symptoms are not suggestive of ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) or any other serious neurological illness.
It is fairly common to get body weakness due to a flu. Though it resolves in a few days, in some cases, the symptoms may remain for 8-12 weeks.
Also, jerky movements of legs or arms are normal while falling asleep or getting up from sleep. They are called myoclonic jerks.
Eyelid twitchings or twitchings elsewhere in the body are also seen in normal people.
So there is no need to worry at present.
Eat well and take adequate rest for faster recovery.
Best wishes,
Dr Sudhir Kumar MD DM (Neurology) XXXXXXX Consultant Neurologist
Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad
Thank you posting your query.
At the outset, I would like to reassure you that your symptoms are not suggestive of ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) or any other serious neurological illness.
It is fairly common to get body weakness due to a flu. Though it resolves in a few days, in some cases, the symptoms may remain for 8-12 weeks.
Also, jerky movements of legs or arms are normal while falling asleep or getting up from sleep. They are called myoclonic jerks.
Eyelid twitchings or twitchings elsewhere in the body are also seen in normal people.
So there is no need to worry at present.
Eat well and take adequate rest for faster recovery.
Best wishes,
Dr Sudhir Kumar MD DM (Neurology) XXXXXXX Consultant Neurologist
Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Dear Mr XXXXXXX
Thank you for the response. initially i wasn't that worried by last night after dinner, i had this weakness in the legs and as i bend them a bit i felt I would fall down. I still have it mildly all morning today and now its more than that, as i was walking down the stairs i felt the legs cant take the body weight - the same feeling as i used to have after a leg press workout while climbing down a stair. I used to run for 15-20 mins on a thread mill before and now after that flu i stopped working out as i am scared of workout and playing badminton. The lump in the throat (which is there some days and vanishes for a day or two in between) the doctor i consulted said its due to anxiety but its real and the upper back pain also started about the same time.
Although, I like to stay cool without thinking about it, i am worried something is building up and would like to get an opinion if I should get any relevant tests before its too late.
Please advice
XXXXXXX
Thank you for the response. initially i wasn't that worried by last night after dinner, i had this weakness in the legs and as i bend them a bit i felt I would fall down. I still have it mildly all morning today and now its more than that, as i was walking down the stairs i felt the legs cant take the body weight - the same feeling as i used to have after a leg press workout while climbing down a stair. I used to run for 15-20 mins on a thread mill before and now after that flu i stopped working out as i am scared of workout and playing badminton. The lump in the throat (which is there some days and vanishes for a day or two in between) the doctor i consulted said its due to anxiety but its real and the upper back pain also started about the same time.
Although, I like to stay cool without thinking about it, i am worried something is building up and would like to get an opinion if I should get any relevant tests before its too late.
Please advice
XXXXXXX
Hi,
Thank you for getting back with more details.
I appreciate your concern, however I feel and hope that you do not have any serious disease.
For ruling out any serious disease, you could get the following tests done:
1. Serum CPK- high CPK indicates a muscle disease.
2. NCV/EMG: It could rule out any nerve or muscle disease and ALS.
Best wishes,
Dr Sudhir Kumar MD DM (Neurology)
Thank you for getting back with more details.
I appreciate your concern, however I feel and hope that you do not have any serious disease.
For ruling out any serious disease, you could get the following tests done:
1. Serum CPK- high CPK indicates a muscle disease.
2. NCV/EMG: It could rule out any nerve or muscle disease and ALS.
Best wishes,
Dr Sudhir Kumar MD DM (Neurology)
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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