Als

ALS, otherwise called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is a type of degenerative disease that affects the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that control voluntary muscles. The symptoms include difficulty walking, falling, leg weakness, muscle cramps or twitching, and behavioral changes.

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Can muscle twitching since one year be due to ALS?

Query: Hello doctor, I have had muscle twitching since last year, and I am worried about ALS. So I consulted a neurologist, who said I have fibrillation in three muscles in the EMG and cervical radiculopathy at C6-C7. Kindly help.  Read Full »


Dr. Aida Abaz Quka

Answer: Hello, Welcome to icliniq.com. I understand your concern. Your symptoms seem to be related to a pinched nerve. Based on this EMG (electromyography) report (attachment removed to protect the patient's identity), the muscles with spontaneous activity are in the territory of the pinched right media...  Read Full »

Is my twitching due to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis?

Query: Hi doctor, About two weeks ago, I started having twitching in the front of my right calf. The next four days, it began to spread to my left calf and thighs. Sporadically I will get them on peck, shoulder, triceps, back near the armpit, and shoulder blade. My lower body nearly always twitches, whi...  Read Full »


Dr. Aida Abaz Quka

Answer: Hi, Welcome to icliniq.com. I understand your concern and explain that a normal EMG (electromyography) excludes ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis). The lack of weakness too. For this reason, I think that your symptoms are related to anxiety. Nevertheless, I would recommend checking thyroid hormon...  Read Full »

Why is there numbness in foot and arm for the last six weeks?

Query: Hi doctor, I am a 26-year-old male. I am feeling numbness in my left foot and left arm (especially near fingers and hand area) for the last six weeks. Firstly, I just ignored it and thought it will go away with time but now I am getting confused about it and want your opinion on this. Got your medi...  Read Full »


Dr. Ardit Tela

Answer: Hi, Welcome to icliniq.com. I have read your question carefully and I understand your concern. Before we say it is stress related (because it might be), initially we have to rule out other causes. I think that a face to face neurological assessment is warranted. A complete neurological exam will sho...  Read Full »

I have body twitching and hand pain, especially between my fingers. Please guide me if this could be ALS.

Query: Hello doctor, Over the last few months, I have been dealing with body-wide twitching, arm sensations, and, recently, hand pain, particularly in my thumbs and between my thumb and index finger. An EMG was conducted with normal motor nerves and minor ulnar neuropathy on my left arm. It came normal. I ...  Read Full »


Dr. Hitesh Kumar

Answer: Hello, Welcome to icliniq.com. I would like to know further details about your symptoms: 1. Since when you started to have body twitching? 2. These twitchings occur in which part of the body? 3. Are the twitchings visible or only felt by yourself? 4. In which arm and part of that arm do you fe...  Read Full »

I am 9-months pregnant and and have been having muscle twitching all over my body. Is it due to ALS?

Query: Hello doctor,I am a 32-year-old female and nine months pregnant. For the last three months, I have been having muscle twitching all over my body. It generally jumps from one place to another, one twitch per location only, and when I move, it disappears. However, one time only, I saw my toe twitching...  Read Full »


Dr. Ambekar Sudheer

Answer: Hello, Welcome to icliniq.com. Muscle twitches all over the body, in your case, are most likely benign and due to your pregnancy condition. What you are experiencing is most likely to be muscle cramps than twitches. Muscle cramps during pregnancy are common discomforts experienced by many expectin...  Read Full »

I have a burning sensation in my back, neck, and arms, along with muscle twitching. Can this be ALS?

Query: Hello doctor, I have burning sensations throughout my body, including my feet, back, and arms. Muscle twitching for ten days so far in almost every area of the body. My muscle jerks at night as I fall asleep. I am concerned if this is ALS.   Read Full »


Dr. Aida Abaz Quka

Answer: Hello, Welcome to icliniq.com. I understand your concern and would explain that sensory symptoms like burning sensation are not signs of ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), so we can completely exclude ALS in your situation. I suggest checking vitamin B12, D, and thyroid hormone levels for possib...  Read Full »

Apart from ALS, which other conditions cause muscle twitching?

Query: Hi doctor, I am a 24 year old female. For the last three days, I have noticed continuous twitches on the thenar aspect of my right palm. Today, I searched on the internet and it showed it could be ALS. I am worried. Also, I noticed that my right thenar prominence is a little less than the left. I do...  Read Full »


Dr. Hardik Nareshbhai Rajyaguru

Answer: Hi, Welcome to icliniq.com. I do not think this to be ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis). ALS will have little more extensive twitches and at times they are visible on the muscle surface and a number of muscles having the flaccid type of weakness. Fasciculation only for three days without an...  Read Full »

Are the cramps I am experiencing are due to ALS or MND?

Query: Hello doctor, I am a 29-year-old male and in need of some reassurance over my serious health anxiety re MND (ALS). I am not normally anxious or depressed, married with a young daughter and a wife who is pregnant. It stared with an entire all day leg ache (left leg). Two days later my arm started to...  Read Full »


Dr. Aida Abaz Quka

Answer: Hello, Welcome to icliniq.com. Your symptoms are not typical of ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis). You should know that at your age ALS is a very exceptional diagnosis. But there are also a lot of other conditions that may mimic this clinical situation. For this reason, I would recommend performin...  Read Full »

I have had fasciculation on my left thigh for the last three days. How likely is it to be ALS?

Query: Hello doctor, I am a 28-year-old female, having continuous fasciculations on my left thigh for the last three days. How likely it is to be ALS?  Read Full »


Dr. Hitesh Kumar

Answer: Hello, Welcome to icliniq.com. I would like to know some details about your symptoms: 1. Are the fasciculations you mentioned limited to the left thigh or some other body parts? If yes, please tell me which body parts. 2. Are these fasciculations visible by eyes or only felt by you inside? 3. D...  Read Full »

Can my difficulty in swallowing and left jaw muscle spasm be due to ALS?

Query: Hi doctor, I have had three EMGs in the last 17 months. The doctors say I do not have ALS, but I have new symptoms that correlate with the disease. I was told the last EMG (the other two) were normal, but on the report where the T9 paraspinal was tested, the poly, amp, duration, recruitment, and act...  Read Full »


Dr. Aida Abaz Quka

Answer: Hello, Welcome to icliniq.com. I understand your concern and would explain that with three normal EMGs (electromyography), we can exclude ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis). I would like to know more about your symptoms and complaints. There are some specific EMG criteria for ALS that a neurologi...  Read Full »

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