Cerebral Nerves

[Brummer]

Hi everybody, I still try to understand why twitches of the tongue are considered to be a more specific sign of ALS than twitches in other areas by some doctors. One explanation I heard of was, that the nerve that innervates the tongue is a cerebral one. But the nerves that are innervating the eyelids are also cerebral nerves and no one is talking about that as a bad sign. Can some of you explain that to me? I am still concerned about my tongue twitches.

[TwitchyDoc]

As I mentioned a few times on this forum, it is not known so no matter how much you try to understand, you will not. It is based on experience and neurophysiological basics - XII cranial nerve is hidden and short, thus it basically cannot be damaged along its course like e.g. nerves going to calves. Also bulbar area is rarely affected in benign disorders generally and this all together gives this infamous opinion.
However, it just common opinion and nobody really knows. Look, it is not even known why and where exactly fasciculations are generated! So do not expect that there is a doctor that could answer this question.
I went through this phase 3 years ago...

[Brummer]

So, this means that you have tongue twitches for over 3 years? Are they always present? Do they vary? Do you also have fine and rhythmic one that you do not feel? I am not worried about the big thumpers I can feel but about the very fine ones that are like shaking of small areas in a very rhythmic way, but are definately not pulse.

[TwitchyDoc]

Not daily but they do happen usually at least once per a day, sometimes more often. A few times I noticed flickering I could not feel, usually I feel it, though.
Well I know you said your whole surface was doing that movement but I honestly suspect it is a tongue tremor. I think I cannot reassure you enough but a physical neurologist could. It is not that easy sometimes to distinquish between tongue tremor and fasciculations so I would go to a good one.