Fasciculation, or muscle twitching, can be caused by stress, vitamin deficiencies, dehydration, neurological disorders, drug reactions, or poisoning. Tests such as biopsies, EMG, and nerve conduction studies may be done to determine the cause. Treatment may involve dietary changes, supplements, or medication.
A fasciculation is simply a muscle twitch, or involuntary contraction of skeletal muscle fibers, that affects a small, localized area. A fasciculation can occur anywhere on the body, but is often most noticeable on the face. It can be caused by a number of common factors such as stress, vitamin deficiencies or dehydration which have no long-term impact. It can also result from certain neurological disorders, traumatic injuries, drug reactions, or poisoning. Tests such as biopsies, electromyography (EMG), and nerve conduction studies may be done in an attempt to determine the cause of the fasciculation.
Prolonged periods of severe stress can cause fasciculations, but these contractions usually don’t begin until the body begins to relax after the stress has eased. A magnesium or calcium deficiency can also lead to muscle twitching and can usually be corrected with dietary changes or the addition of supplements. A vitamin D deficiency can lead to spasms due to its tendency to cause low calcium absorption. Dehydration can cause fasciculations due to the body’s tendency to lose both fluids and electrolytes at the same time; Calcium and magnesium are some of the more common electrolytes needed for normal muscle function. Any muscle can experience these contractions, but they commonly occur in the eye area, tongue, and larger muscles in the arms and legs.
Many neurological disorders such as multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or Lou Gehrig’s disease, cervical spondylosis, and motor neuron diseases can cause fasciculations due to disruptions in nerve signal transduction. Any traumatic injury that causes lasting compression or damage to the nerves in or near muscles can increase a patient’s chances of having fasciculations and can also lead to a head injury to the area of the brain that controls voluntary muscle movement. Medications such as caffeine, diuretics, corticosteroids, and different types of estrogen are known to have the potential to cause muscle tics. Conversely, when a patient has become dependent on benzodiazepines, fasciculation may be observed when the drug is discontinued or the dosage is abruptly reduced. Tight muscles are also a symptom of organophosphate poisoning commonly used in pesticides.
Tests of reflexes and muscle strength are often done early in the process of diagnosing the cause of the fasciculation and may be followed by blood tests or muscle biopsies. An EMG is usually done to rule out Lou Gehrig’s disease and help determine whether the problem is in the muscle cells themselves or in the nerves associated with the muscles. A nerve conduction study could also be used to determine how quickly and efficiently nerve signals reach the muscles.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
