The term “hotspot” comes up frequently when benign fasciculation syndrome is discussed.
The word “hotspot” is not a medical term and, in fact, has arisen from laypeople discussing in online forums their experiences with twitching muscles.
Even prior to the Internet, the term hotspot was very likely used to describe frequent locations of the body where muscle twitching (or any condition for that matter such as acne or dermatitis) occurred.
According to the Merriam Webster definition, hotspot means “a place of more than usual interest, activity, or popularity.”
Certainly you’ve heard people say things like:
• “Rome is a great vacation hotspot.”
• “Telluride is a hotspot for skiing.”
• “Grand Avenue is a hotspot for singles bars.”
Hotspot has gained an additional slot in the English vernacular: It means where a public Internet service connection is available.
A Hotspot in Benign Fasciculation Syndrome
Do NOT – I repeat – do NOT allow this common, layperson term to scare you or make you worried about twitching muscles.
Schematic of a healthy neuron. Source: Freepik.com/ brgfx
To say, “The arch of the foot is a hotspot for muscle twitching,” simply is another way of pointing out that this is a common location for benign fasciculations.
People say “hotspot” (or type it) because it’s faster than saying or typing “a frequent location.”
Again, this is not a medical term and is not indicative of the seriousness of what appears to be neurological activity. It’s just a quick way to describe something.
So if you get a lot of muscle twitching in your calves, for example, you can say that your calves are hotspots.
People with benign fasciculation syndrome can have hotspots in any number of regions on their body.
