Benign Fasciculation Syndrome (BFS) is a neurological disorder causing muscle twitching (fasciculation) of various voluntary muscles all over the body. Muscle twitching can happen in any muscle group but majority of the affected areas include the arms, legs, feet, and eye lids. Muscle twitches may happen occasionally or continuously daily at different intervals. Any intentional movement of the twitching muscles stops it immediately but may return when the muscles are at rest again.Another common feature of the BFS, as observed by the doctors, is the high level of health related anxiety of the patients by fixating the disorder to a more severe illness such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Muscle Sclerosis (MS), Parkinson's Disease, vCJD, Wilson's Disease and other serious neurological diseases. A good way to help ease the anxiety relating to this disorder is by discussing it in forums involving people who have suffered for a longer period in forums and other websites. (Check links below for muscle twitching discussion relation to Benign Fasciculation Syndrome - BFS)
Treatment for BFS does not involve the direct treatment of the muscle twitching through the use of drugs but would normally pursue lowering the level of anxiety the patient is experiencing. There are no drugs or treatments that have been found that completely control the twitching. The most effective way to reduced the symptoms is by reducing the overall daily stress through exercise, sleep, less work, meditations, and less caffeine intake.
Overall, BFS is not life-threatening, not disabling, but may be so if anxiety would not be treated effectively. Majority of the cases clear up in a few days, weeks or months or even years but there is nothing to be worried about.
Muscle twitching due to Benign Fasciculation Syndrome (BFS) forum.
I need some feedback. I started having muscle twitching all over my body about 8 weeks ago. I felt that this was due to anxiety b/c it started a week after the doctor found a tumor in my neck (parotid tumor-salivary gland). Tumor turned out to be benign and is out, so I thought the twitching would stop. I'm back at work and don't consciously think about it, but it happens whenever my muscles are at rest. All 3 ENT's and Otolaryngologists who treated me said that the twitching was not connected to the tumor. I did have an MRI of my neck and brain and other than the parotid tumor, all else looked normal. I am a 40 year old female in great health otherwise, and no disease history in my family. My local doc did a blood test last week looking at sedimentation rates to check for inflammation. All blood work was normal. He couldn't explain it and took a "wait and see if it gets worse" approach. ANy advice? I feel like it has to be anxiety related b/c of the timing, but I don't think I'm anxious anymore!??? If I went to a neurologist what tests would they do to rule out motor neuron disease?
ReplyDelete