Cramps.....constant! ??bfs?

[Sadface]

Hi all
I've experienced widespread twitching for around 4 months. Can be everywhere and anywhete, although mainly left side and foot arch!

My current problem which is freaking me out ....
My left twitching foot arch is soar constantly! I guess it's like cramp but it's constant. I feel I need to sit rubbing it to get relief!
The pain isn't really bad but it's so annoying! I already worry this foot is smaller than the right! Now I worry I have twitches cramps and atrophy!!!!! I've also noticed the twitches spread up the left leg

My questions:
Is this normal?
Do other people honestly get this?
What can be done to ease it?

I look forward to any reply :-/

Thanks in advance

[Christina91013]

Hello Sadface,
Your twitching experience sounds similar to mine. I started out with widespread twitching four months ago. I had my first EMG/NCS at one month into the ordeal and am scheduled for a follow up at the end of this month. I, like you, have the dull pain that has accompanied my twitching. My entire right side has that dull pain- especially my upper right arm. Interestingly, a majority of my twitching is on my right side too.
I contacted my neurologist when the mild cramping started (which was about a month and a half into twitching)and she said that cramping is very common with this condition. Since then, my family physician has put me on Sertraline, or Zoloft in an attempt to quell my anxiety and hopefully stop the twitching. I have a feeling that it is going to take a lot more than that to put this condition to rest. You are not alone with symptoms or situation.

Christina

[Sadface]

Thank you. I worry with no reply that no one gets this.
I also haven't had the emg test to reassure me
It's just the dreaded ALS fear due to it not getting better!

I also find it worse when my foot is cold!?
Maybe ms and als :,-0

[Yuliasir]

nobody answers becasue ALL or SO MANY have this... and everybody are a bit tired to say^ yes I do, yes I have that, yes I cram, nope this is not atrophy byt a physiological difference in the limbs. no no no ALS etc.

[surferguy]

nobody answers becasue ALL or SO MANY have this... and everybody are a bit tired to say^ yes I do, yes I have that, yes I cram, nope this is not atrophy byt a physiological difference in the limbs. no no no ALS etc.

This is so true. Everyone is so busy nodding at your symptoms, and it is so normal to most of us that replies may be thin on the ground.

I can honestly say I get exactly what you are experiencing, including the soreness of the muscles and I also get twitching all over and they seem to have spread up my legs as well. Nothing you have said is alarming or pointing in a bad direction. Also, just to say that atrophy can be as subjective as weakness and you need to leave assessment of such things to a neurologist rather than speculating. Just today I got the copy of the letter from my neuro to my GP stating that there was absolutely no atrophy and no weakness and if anything my reflexes were slightly difficult to elicit. I was convinced that I had hyper-reflexia and atrophy, so much so that I was measuring various muscles with a tape measure.

In terms of helping the cramps and twitching. To be honest nothing has worked for me that I know eases the twitching for sure. Some days are better than others though. For cramping, I would start with a simple anti-inflammatory like ibuprofen (if you area able to take them). This helps with the soreness as well as any inflammation. If simple over the counter medication doesn't help then explore other options with your GP or neurologist. Many members on here have successfully experimented with elimination diets, electrolyte supplementation and other regimens which they find help them and others with symptoms. In the end it's about doing a bit of research and experimenting to see what works for you.

So, please be assured I and many others experience what you are going through, but don't always have easy answers to fix it.

[Sadface]

Thanks for that!
Do you also have cramp which moves up your leg?
I also get twitches when walking?? Thought was only at rest?

[Yuliasir]

It has to be clarified I think - becasue twitches can move toes as well as cramps, but cramps are painful while twitches are ususally not. sometimes i have cramps strong enough to spread my toes, and this si really unpleasant.
I have twitches during activity (in hands when prinitng in legs when walking), do not thing it is something really important

[Watereddown]

I've had an annoying cramp like tension in my left forearm for what seems to be 2 weeks now, with no signs of improvement. Whenever i use my arm in any certain way, the tension/cramp begins to present itself and lets me know its there. If this happened to me 7 months ago when all this started, I would definitely be on the ledge right now. But nowadays, I find myself more interested in what is causing it to happen rather than fearing of whats causing it to happen.

[surferguy]

Thanks for that!
Do you also have cramp which moves up your leg?
I also get twitches when walking?? Thought was only at rest?

I've had cramps in every part of my legs, up/down, side to side, sometimes jumping from one spot to another, especially in the left leg. There is no pattern, it does what it does and I just have to deal with it. I do find resting properly helps the cramping eventually.

In terms of twitches while walking, the explanation is a fairly simple one: Walking is a process in which one set of muscles contract while the opposing set of muscles relax. For example, in the upper leg this happens by the quadriceps contracting alternately with the hamstrings and while one is contracting the other HAS to relax. This is the only way proper forward movement can be generated, otherwise each group of muscles would be trying to move the leg in opposite directions at the same time. So, at any one moment during walking at LEAST one group of muscles will be relaxed and for lots of people this also makes these very muscles vulnerable to twitching. There will be times during walking when both sets of opposing muscles will also be partially relaxed and believe me partially relaxed muscles can twitch even more than fully relaxed ones. Therefore it is not at all surprising that you experience twitching while you walk. All I would say is that when many people FULLY contract a previously relaxed muscle in a limb that has been twitching, then the twitching generally does stop in that muscle. However, this can be very difficult to do for a sufficient length of time to assess properly, especially if you suffer from cramping, so I would not recommend you do this.

[Sadface]

Just revisiting this thread as this foot is still problematic
Walking is still annoying in this foot
The arch aches
Any recommendations of how to ease this

[Yuliasir]

Go to podiatrist (a doctor specializing on foot and gait issues).
most probably you have postural issue, fasciitis (ligament inflammation) or peripheral vessels issue. USI of the foot/legs is usually recommended, doppler USI might be used for venous condition evaluation.
Should you have neurological issue, your problem would be a foot drop, deviated position of the foot (too outward or too inward), walking on the foot edge due to inability to place it properly etc. As you report only pain, it seems ot be rather orthopedical issue.

[Sadface]

Ok ill mention it to the doc.
It's not overall progressed since o first wrote this thread. I still can wear whatever shoes however it obviously is uncomfortable.
It's just the twitchy side. However..... I do twitch everywhere now, so that doesn't really apply now I guess