Kelly -- spasms or twitches?

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-22-2004
Kelly -- spasms or twitches?
4
Sat, 09-04-2004 - 11:38pm
Hi:

I found some info on BFS (Benign Fasciculation syndrome) and while I couldn't find anything definitive about it's relationship to thyroid, there were several hints in the articles/ postings. These relate to twitching... painless but irritating spontaneous muscle movement.

Here's a description of it: (that makes NO reference to Thyroid)

http://www.nextination.com/aboutbfs/faqgeneral.htm#1

And here are some quotes/excerpts that I pulled from postings:

Some causes of BFS: A long list of causes - root disease, nerve entrapments (such as carpal tunnel syndrome), specific forms of neuropathy (specially demyelinating), radiation injury to nerves, other forms of motor neuron disease (SMA, Kennedy's disease), the cramp-fasciculation syndrome, syringomyelia, thyroid disease, caffeine, some other drugs, etc.

Muscle twitches are a common phenomenon that are often seen in normal individuals after exercise, with physical or emotional stress, as part of a syndrome called benign fasciculation syndrome and may be caused by a wide variety of other problems such as electrolyte abnormalities, thyroid disease, and nerve root compression just to name a few. In the setting of progressive weakness and muscle wasting, they can also be part of more serious neurological diseases such as ALS.

It really sounds like you have a condition called benign fasiculations. We are unclear of the etiology, about 20-30% of people who get this have a preceding viral illness. The rest, we just do not know. There is no damage to the muscle in this condition, but it is nerve racking. This conditon can last several days to several years, but resolves without damage

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-22-2004
Sun, 09-05-2004 - 10:27am
Wait!

Are there 3 of us? Kelly and Michelle do you both have spasms? Would you call them twitches? Can you describe?

Goodness!

Dee.

Michelle-- sorry I left your name off the posting title, I got mixed up for a min.

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-09-2003
Mon, 09-06-2004 - 10:10pm
Dee,

I would define mine as spsams because they hurt, they feel like the muscle is just getting tighter and tighter. It's kind of like a twitch in the sence that muscle keeps moving but it just keeps contracting without a release, until the time that it decides to end which could be 2 minutes or it could be 45 minutes. But is most definately pain involved. Does that answer you question? if you need any clairification let me know.

Ok well It's been a long week end and I am totally wiped out I'll most likley sleep all this week to recover( wish that was a joke) :)

Talk to you soon have a great week.

Michelle

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-21-2003
Tue, 09-07-2004 - 9:03am

I would say spasms too. Thanks for the info, let me go read. This a

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-22-2004
Tue, 09-07-2004 - 12:54pm
Hi:

I think mine are like yours only shorter in duration. The muscle involuntarily contstricts, but then almost right away it releases and another one starts, and so it goes all through the evening. At least it's not the same muscle over and over... it randomly cruises my body. But there is definately general soreness that goes with it.

So odd.

Hope you guys find some answers...

Hang in there,

Dee.