Common "Motor Neuron Disease" queries answered by top doctors | iCliniq

Motor Neuron Disease

Motor neuron disease, also called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), is a progressive neurological disorder that affects the nerve cells present in the brain and spinal cord, resulting in muscle control loss. This disease usually starts as muscle twitching, limb weakness, and slurred speech. There is no cure for ALS, and in advanced stages, it can result in the loss of control of muscles needed to breathe, speak, move, and swallow.

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All the answers published in this website are written by verified medical doctors, therapists and health experts. The Content has been moderated by iCliniq medical review team before publication. Post your medical clarifications on iCliniq by choosing the right specialty and get them answered. Your medical queries will be answered 24/7 by top doctors from iCliniq.

I experience numbness and stiffness in my arm. Please help.

Query: Hi doctor, Three weeks back, I found my thumb to be a little stiff while texting. The movement was slow, but it got better after a few seconds. A few days later, my thumb felt a little weak while holding a cup of tea and again it got fine afterward. Since then, I have developed a lot of anxiety abou...  Read Full »


Dr. Abhishek Juneja

Answer: Hi, Welcome to icliniq.com. I am here to provide expert opinion on your medical issues. Motor neurone disease (MND) generally presents with muscle weakness, muscle wasting, and twitching in different parts of the body. Rarely, it may cause difficulty speaking, and difficulty swallowing. The sy...  Read Full »

My father in law is diagnosed with motor neuron disease. Please suggest treatment options?

Query: Hi doctor,My father-in-law has been diagnosed with motor neuron disease (MND). He is 55 years old, and I have attached the reports (attachments removed to protect the patient identity). I would appreciate your help in understanding the nature of the disease, prognosis, and treatment plan. Additional...  Read Full »


Dr. Seyedaidin Sajedi

Answer: Hi, Welcome to icliniq.com. I have reviewed your query and I am really sorry for what your family is going through. After looking at the hospital records, it seems they have done a lot of tests, and the final diagnosis is likely correct. It looks like your father-in-law has a type of disease calle...  Read Full »

What are the symptoms of motor neuron disease?

Query: Hello doctor, Two months ago, a tingling sensation started in my hands and feet more on the left side. The tingling has recently subsided, but I now have some minor twitching in my left eye and on both thighs. I have tinnitus and floaters in my eyes, which developed recently. I also have muscle weak...  Read Full »


Dr. Abhishek Juneja

Answer: Hello, Welcome to icliniq.com. Muscle twitchings may happen in motor neuron disease. But motor neuron disease is a rare disorder. Other common causes of muscle twitching include anxiety, caffeine, nicotine, thyroid dysfunction, and diabetes. Also, twitching in isolation is generally benign unless it...  Read Full »

How is MND diagnosed?

Query: Hi doctor, I have recently noticed a lot of wrinkling of my skin on both my thenar muscles of the thumb. I just noticed it a month ago. I also have a dent or atrophy on the back of my right hand between the little and middle finger. I am not sure whether this is new as it seems to appear in a video ...  Read Full »


Dr. Ambekar Sudheer

Answer: Hi, Welcome to icliniq.com. Motor neuron disease may be a possibility for the appearance of muscle atrophy in the photographs that you have sent (attachment removed to protect patient identity). However, the definitive test for motor neuron disease (MND) is ENMG, which stands for electroneuromyogra...  Read Full »

Is muscle twitching a predominant sign of motor neuron disease?

Query: Hello doctor, For about two weeks now, I have had a twitch in my left arm (triceps) that seems to be worse when I have my arm straight and down by the side of my body and less noticeable when I have my arm over my head and bent at the elbow. The twitch seems to be worse at times without any particu...  Read Full »


Dr. Upendra Kumar Shah

Answer: Hi, Welcome to icliniq.com. This is acute onset localized twitches, started after strenuous activity. This seems to be physiological twitches that are occurring due to minor muscle or nerve injury. Just check for any weakness or loss of muscle mass in the region where you are developing twitches, ...  Read Full »

I am a 42-year-old male experiencing painful twitching initially in my left eyelid, followed by twitching in other parts of my body. Why?

Query: I am a 42-year-old male with no underlying conditions and I have been experiencing muscle twitching. Approximately four months ago, I noticed twitching in my left eyelid, which has continued intermittently on a daily basis since then. I consulted my ophthalmologist, who informed me that it was stres...  Read Full »


Dr. Seyedaidin Sajedi

Answer: Hello, Welcome to icliniq.com. I read your query and understood your concern. Firstly, I would like to inform you that muscle twitches, also known as fasciculations in medical terms, can sometimes be a sign of a serious condition called motor neuron disorders (MND). However, the majority of muscle t...  Read Full »

Can motor neuron disease only affect the extensor functions and not flexion function?

Query: Hello doctor, I am a 58-years-old male with atrophy and muscle weakness in the upper extremities for the past 17 years. Muscle weakness only affects the extension functions, not the flexion functions. I underwent a PET scan, EMG, and NCV, and the doctor diagnosed it as multifactor motor neuropathy o...  Read Full »


Dr. Florilyn Joyce Chulsi Bentrez

Answer: Hi, Welcome to icliniq.com. I understand your concern. I have a few questions so that I can help you. 1. With extension, do you mean with the fingers and elbows? 2. Can you abduct your shoulders at a 90-degree angle? 3. Is there pain, numbness, or any sensory deficit besides motor weakness? 4...  Read Full »

I am suffering from weakness in my legs and right arm. Can it be due to ALS or MND?

Query: Hi doctor, I am a 19-year-old male. For the last couple of days, I have been extremely worried about having the early symptoms of ALS or MND. A week ago, I felt as if my whole body was tired and burnt out. Recently I have noticed my legs have become quite tired, shaky, and fatigued easily, and my ri...  Read Full »


Dr. Aida Abaz Quka

Answer: Hi, Welcome to icliniq.com. Thanks for writing in, and I understand your concern. I suggest your symptoms are not suggestive of ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) or MND (motor neurone disease), especially after considering the normal reflexes and the short period of time of your history. So, in...  Read Full »

My little finger is deviating. Is it a split-hand sign, or do I have a motor neuron disease?

Query: Hello doctor, My left shoulder is smaller than my right and tires more easily from exercise. However, I feel pain in my wrist and the back of my palm whenever I drive. My little finger is forming a split hand sign. Does this mean ALS? Is this a split-hand sign? Why is my little finger deviating? Do ...  Read Full »


Dr. Hitesh Kumar

Answer: Helllo, Welcome to icliniq.com. 1. When did you start to have symptoms of early tiring from exercise, and when did you start to have pain in the wrist and back of your palm while driving? 2. Since when did you notice that your left shoulder is smaller than your right? 3. Do you have difficulty i...  Read Full »

What is the cause of my persistent twitches all over the body?

Query: Hello doctor, About one month ago, I started to get twitches all over my body. Everywhere from my toes and fingers to backs of my thighs, neck, and torso. They feel like small little zings and are present all day long. I have no idea why the twitching is happening. Things I have considered, I have ...  Read Full »


Dr. Hitesh Kumar

Answer: Hello, Welcome to icliniq.com. I would like to know some further details about your symptoms: Are these twitches visible by eyes? Or these only felt by you without being seen by eyes? Have you noticed what triggers these twitches? Like when being more anxious, empty stomach, cold weather, smoki...  Read Full »

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