Muscle twitches why

Select basic ads. Create a personalised ads profile. Select personalised ads. Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. Muscle twitching occurs when nerves misfire, causing groups of muscle fibers to contract.

This is common to multiple sclerosis MS , due to nerve fiber damage that affects signaling between your nerves and muscles. But there are other possible causes of the various types of muscle twitching too, from fatigue and nutrient deficiency to thyroid disease and more. Some are benign, but others require medical attention. If you have MS, your muscle twitching may be due to your disease. Or it could be owed to one of these other causes that you may not realize you're living with as well.

It's important to sort out the why behind what you're experiencing. Likewise, for those who have not been diagnosed with MS, it's best not to ignore this symptom, as you may have a condition that requires treatment. There are three types of muscle twitching, each of which has some level of uniqueness to them. Spasticity describes muscle tightness and stiffness, as well as spasms that can be constant or sudden; some people describe these as a twitch.

Spasticity is a common symptom in MS and often affects one or both of the legs. In other words, there is impaired nerve transmission from the brain and spinal cord to the nerves that control your muscles. Clonus describes the repetitive jerking or twitching of muscles and, like spasticity, is thought to be caused by the faulty nerve transmission characteristic of MS.

For example, the normal ankle jerk reflex is instead hyperactive and the muscle that controls the ankle shakes rhythmically and uncontrollably. In more severe cases, the knee-jerk reflex is hyperactive and the muscle that controls the knee shakes rhythmically and uncontrollably. Other causes of clonus include:. Lower motor neurons transmit nerve signals from your spinal cord to your muscles.

When these nerve signals are disrupted, muscle weakening and wasting will eventually occur, along with uncontrollable muscle twitching called fasciculations. Fasciculations are a hallmark symptom of diseases that affect the lower motor neurons, like ALS. Multiple sclerosis very rarely involves the lower motor neurons, which is why fasciculations are usually not a symptom of the disease. It's important to understand that a run-of-mill muscle twitch here and there is likely nothing to worry about.

Twitching can occur in healthy people and rarely signals the presence of an underlying disease, especially if it occurs without other symptoms.

Muscle twitches that are unrelated to an underlying disease or abnormality can be triggered by a number of things, including:. In these instances, muscle twitches are benign and short-lived, meaning they are not a serious health concern, and come and go quickly. Two uncommon conditions called benign fasciculation syndrome and cramp fasciculation syndrome cause frequent muscle twitches and, in the latter case, muscle cramps.

Every disease and condition has its own set of established or widely accepted criteria for diagnosis. To determine the underlying cause of your muscle twitching, your healthcare provider will likely do a physical examination and ask you questions such as:. If the healthcare provider suspects your muscle twitching may be due to an underlying condition, they may order blood tests, a magnetic resonance imaging MRI scan, a computed tomography CT scan, or electromyography to assess the health of your muscles and the nerve cells that control them.

Even though it may be likely that muscle twitching is due to your MS, if you've been diagnosed, there's also a possibility that you could be dealing with a secondary issue that's causing this symptom. Treating the underlying cause of muscle twitches is the primary concern, and it may stop the twitching. What that entails, of course, depends on what condition is at the root of the symptom. It's always disconcerting to develop a new or unexplained symptom. If you experience frequent or troublesome muscle twitches, especially if you are living with MS , be sure to see your healthcare provider.

Goldman-Cecil Medicine. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; chap Contraction of skeletal muscle. Guyton and Hall Textbook of Medical Physiology. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; chap 6. Weissenborn K, Lockwood AH.

Toxic and metabolic encephalopathies. Bradley's Neurology in Clinical Practice. Updated by: Amit M. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

Editorial team. Muscle twitching. Muscle twitches are fine movements of a small area of muscle. Causes may include: Autoimmune disorders , such as Isaac syndrome. Drug overdose caffeine, amphetamines, or other stimulants. Muscle twitching happens when of small groups of muscles contract involuntarily. The most common muscles that twitch are face, forearms, upper arms and legs. Normally, nerve impulses get from the brain and reach the muscles to tell the muscles when to contract or move, which helps us perform body movements.

A certain amount of nerve impulse is needed at a baseline level to keep muscles healthy. Certain daily life situations, as well as diseases, can create imbalance in signal transmission brain, spine and nerves or signal reception muscles , which then causes muscle twitching.

Stress — Anxiety and stress can cause twitching by releasing neurotransmitters from the nerves supplying the muscles. Also, anxiety can make you hyperventilate, or breathe faster, which changes the ions concentration and pH in your body, and predisposes you to muscle twitching. Lack of sleep — Sleep helps us recharge our bodies. Inadequate amounts of sleep can change hormonal balance and can alter the underlying excitability of muscles, making muscles more likely to twitch. Incomplete sleep cycles can also alter the storage ratio of neurotransmitters in the brain, which can also change the excitability of muscles.

Too much caffeine — Caffeine interacts with a molecule called ADP, which is essentially the currency for all energy transfer in our bodies at the cellular level. By changing the concentrations of ADP and ATP, excess caffeine can change the amount of energy at the muscle and cause muscle twitching.

Dehydration — Drinking healthy amounts of water allows the muscles to maintain the correct amount of salt in our body, which maintains normal muscle and nerve function. Losing excessive amounts of water can cause muscle twitching. Thus, small quantities of these elements can cause major changes. Imbalances in these micronutrients — either reduced levels or high levels — can cause muscle twitching.

Hormonal — Hormonal imbalances, such as thyroid or cortisol, can also cause muscle twitching by altering excitability of nerves and muscles. Medications — Medications can alter the ions in our body pH and lead to muscle twitching. Never take medications prescribed for others.

Always consult your primary care physician if you develop muscle twitching after starting a new medication. Neurological disorders — Certain diseases of the muscles or nerves, brain and spine can cause muscle twitching.