I have calf muscle spasm and twitches in the body without weakness. Is this ALS?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am worried I have ALS. I had foot pain on both feet, maybe two years ago for months. Then I started having abdominal pain or spasms a year and a half ago. I noticed when my stomach hurt, my calf (right mainly) would have spasm and felt tight. I went to the ER, thinking I had a blood clot, but there is no blood clot. Abdominal pain and cramps seemed to come after eating.

Once, I went to the ER thinking I had a blockage. CT scan with contrast was done and nothing was seen. My doctor did blood work and checked for vitamin deficiency, ANA, diabetes, etc. All values are normal. I was going through a stressful time.

I have tremendous anxiety and have been looking online for answers as to what is wrong. I noticed about three months ago that when I googled muscle, calf pain, and spasms, ALS kept popping up. I also read about twitching. I realized I have had twitching for a long time (months). The twitches are in my calves, buttocks, arms, lip, thighs. I am completely scared to death.

I went back to my doctor and told him that I wanted a referral to a neurologist, and he said and that it is time to see what is wrong since I have been dealing with all this for over a year. I do not have any voice issues or weaknesses. But my calves feel tense and spasm several times a day.

Please help.

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

You have calf muscle spasm and twitches all over the body, and you do not have weakness, loss of muscle mass, and the duration of illness is around one year.

Please tell me, when do you feel spasm, mostly daytime, nocturnal, or early in the morning? How long does it continue, and how does it relieve? Please try to remember where the twitches started and how they progressed. I mean, did it start from one place and progress to other parts gradually, or is it a random twitch happening here and there?

I would also like to know the status of the thyroid since you had Graves' disease. The calf muscle spasms are the commonest complaints and are mostly benign in nature, either due to physical stress or due to some other reason, and out of stress, fear, and anxiety, you are probably having twitches.

Since it has been one year and you do not have any weakness, loss of muscle mass, you should not be worried about ALS, and the weakness is the principal component of ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), which is not in your case. Please take some anxiolytic, calcium supplements, and I am sure it will go off.

I hope this helps you.

Thank you.

Answer 2

Hi,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

First of all, forget about ALS, and this is not ALS. Twitches seem to be benign fasciculation syndrome primarily due to anxiety or maybe due to other reasons. I see the principle problem here is stomach spasm, following which all other spasm and twitches come. I guess the main problem might be related to the abdomen rather than neurological. Please get a gastroenterologist consultation done.

I hope this helps you.

Thank you.

Answer 3

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

If it were ALS, you would see any other symptoms. ALS would have developed weakness by this time.

I think there is some gastro-related issue, but since you will be seen by a neurologist, let us not complicate. Let him examine and give an opinion. If he also suggests the same, then sure you can proceed.

I hope this helps you.

Thank you.