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What Is Muscle Twitching?
Muscle twitching, otherwise known asfasciculation, is an uncontrollable movement of the muscles.
It can happen either because the muscle contracts or the messaging system between the muscle and brain is damaged.
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In some cases, the twitch can be visible to the naked eye.
When muscle twitches, you will see the muscle under the skin jerk or move quickly.
It may also resemble the appearance of small worms moving underneath the skin.
Is Muscle Twitching a Symptom of ALS?
Muscle twitching is common in people with ALS.
In fact, it is one of the signs that medical providers use to helpdiagnose the disease.
ALS causes muscle twitching because of how the disease affectsmotor neurons.
In ALS, those neurons can become damaged, or worse, killed off.
When that happens, communication between the muscles and the brain becomes compromised and stops working altogether.
Brain Cell Toxins
In people with ALS, specific brain cells known asastrocytesproduce toxins.
The toxin causes the neurons to explode in on themselves.
Because of that neuron death, the communication system between the brain and the muscles becomes faulty.
That is what leads to the twitching.
Necroptosis
Necroptosisis a term for an event that occurs because ofnecrosisandapoptosis.
Apoptosis is cell death that occurs due to aging or development.
Research indicates that neuron death in ALS can be attributed to necroptosis.
How Does Natural Cell Death Contribute to ALS?
Though cells and neurons slowly die naturally, that doesnt mean that everyone develops a neurodegenerative disorder.
Immune System Dysfunction
Theimmune systemmay also play a role in cell death in people with ALS.
Because of that, specific treatments have been made available so that people with ALS can be more comfortable.
Some possible treatments include:
What Is the Best Treatment for Muscle Twitching sparked by ALS?
People respond differently to different medications, so the best option is the one that works best for you.
Muscle twitching can also occur for other reasons, such asstress, too much caffeine,fatigue, oranxiety.
Watching for specific signs of disease can help you determine when you gotta see your healthcare provider.
Symptoms that indicate you should get medically tested include:
These signs will start subtly and continue to worsen.
When the brain and muscles cannot communicate properly, symptoms such as muscle twitching occur.
To treat muscle twitching, there are a variety of different medication options.
The two most common are anticonvulsants and muscle relaxers.
If you experience muscle twitching but do not have ALS, dont panic.
It does not mean that you have the disease.
A Word From Verywell
Muscle twitching isnt always cause for concern.
Many people experience it due to stress, caffeine, or anxiety.
Frequently Asked Questions
People with ALS experience many symptoms.
However, painful muscle twitching isn’t usually one of them.
The twitches that occur typically do so without the presence of any pain at all.
There are several treatment options available for people with muscle twitching as a symptom.
The two most common are anti-convulsants and muscle relaxers.
What you are prescribed will depend on your personal health history.
Several bodily functions falter and cause brain cell death in people with ALS.
This happens because of brain toxins, necroptosis, and immune system dysfunction.
The death of neurons in ALS is what causes symptoms.
Columbia University Irvine Medical Center.Toxin from brain cells triggers neuron loss in human ALS model.
MedlinePlus.Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
