Dr. Aida Abaz Quka
Neurology
The following is an actual conversation between an iCliniq user and a doctor that has been reviewed and published as a Premium Q&A.
Answered by
Medically reviewed by
Patient's 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 right arm feels weaker than my left arm. My whole body twitches and jerks sometimes. Yesterday I tried lifting weights and noticed that I could only do half the repetitions with my right arm compared to the left (which is my weak arm, I am right-handed). I have seen a doctor who advised me for blood tests and a physiotherapist who tested my lower limb reflexes and found they were normal. I still have the full range of movement with my right arm, yet it just feels like it gets tired a lot easier than before. There are no signs of atrophy or loss of fine motor control. I have a history of anxiety, and I was wondering if this could be due to the anxiety. I am really worried. I am not able to eat properly, and I have noticed an increased heart rate since this problem started as it is stressing me out. I am taking Doxycycline for acne. Kindly help.
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 my opinion, this could be anxiety and insomnia. For this reason, I suggest avoiding caffeine intake, performing yoga and taking a magnesium supplement. I hope you will find this information helpful.
Patient's Query
Hi doctor,
Thank you for the reply. I think what is troubling me is the arm weakness and exercise intolerance in a limb that was fine two weeks ago.
Hi,
Welcome back to icliniq.com.
The arm weakness does not suggest ALS, especially considering this fast onset of the symptoms. ALS has an insidious clinical course, which patients usually do not notice at the start. For this reason, I do not think it is ALS. Anyway, I would suggest performing a brain MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) to exclude possible MS (multiple sclerosis), which could mimic this clinical situation.
Was this conversation helpful?
Same symptoms don't mean you have the same problem. Consult a doctor now!
Neurology
Disclaimer: No content published on this website is intended to be a substitute for professional medical diagnosis, advice or treatment by a trained physician. Seek advice from your physician or other qualified healthcare providers with questions you may have regarding your symptoms and medical condition for a complete medical diagnosis. Do not delay or disregard seeking professional medical advice because of something you have read on this website. Read our Editorial Process to know how we create content for health articles and queries.
This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. iCliniq privacy policy
