Many people wonder if twitching muscles might be an early symptom of multiple sclerosis.
Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease that can render a person bedridden and comes with an assortment of possible symptoms.
“Twitching per se is not a common MS symptom and is not considered an early sign of MS,” says Karen M. Blitz-Shabbir, DO, a neuro-rehabilitation and multiple sclerosis specialist based in Islip, NY.
“Some symptoms that warrant investigation or consult with a neurologist include weakness, tingling, numbness, tremors.”
When I say “twitching,” I’m referring to fasciculations, or the kind of twitching that occurs in perhaps millions of eyelids every day.
These same kind of fasciculations also commonly occur in the legs, particularly after heavy exercise or activities like a long hike or hard time spent on cardio equipment.
People usually become aware of their twitching muscles when they are at rest, such as at a computer or when watching TV.
Somehow, some way, they come up with the idea that multiple sclerosis often, or just sometimes, starts out with these kinds of muscle twitches.
If you’re still worried that your muscle twitching signals an early symptom of MS, then here are the limb/muscle-related symptoms of this neurological disease (no particular order):
Weakness or numbness in at least one limb. Typically this happens on one side of the body at a time.
(Weakness and numbness are not to be confused with twitching muscles, and keep in mind that many, many conditions can cause numbness and especially weakness.)
Tremors. (A tremor is not the same as a fasciculation-type muscle twitch. A tremor is a kind of shaking or trembling.)
Tingling or pain in portions of the body, and/or fatigue.
Dr. Blitz-Shabbir is also the medical director of rehabilitation with Holy Name Medical Center MS Center.
