Does ALS start with muscle twitching?

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The onset of ALS may be so subtle that the symptoms are overlooked. The earliest symptoms may include fasciculations (muscle twitches), cramps, tight and stiff muscles (spasticity), muscle weakness affecting a hand, arm, leg, or foot, slurred and nasal speech, or difficulty chewing or swallowing.

Does twitching mean I have ALS?

Having muscle weakness, fatigue, stiffness, and twitching doesn’t mean that you have ALS. Those symptoms can also be caused by other conditions. It can be hard for your doctor to tell if you have ALS. It may not be clear that you have the disease until symptoms get worse or until your doctor has done more testing.

What do ALS twitches look like?

For instance, an individual with ALS might first notice a persistent shoulder twitch or muscle twitching in their face or legs. Whilst not painful, it can be so prevalent that it causes sleep disruption.

Where does ALS twitching occur?

Fasciculation in ALS, which is thought to originate from upper and lower motor neurons, is associated with hyperexcitation of the motor cortex and axons [24].

Does twitching with ALS come and go?

The twitching also affects the muscle while it is resting. However, it will stop when the person starts using the muscle. In ALS, twitching can start in one place. However, it will often spread to the areas near that starting point rather than appearing in random places.

What are the first warning signs of ALS?

Early symptoms include:

Muscle twitches in the arm, leg, shoulder, or tongue.
Muscle cramps.
Tight and stiff muscles (spasticity)
Muscle weakness affecting an arm, a leg, the neck, or diaphragm.
Slurred and nasal speech.
Difficulty chewing or swallowing.

Do Early symptoms of ALS come and go?

Most people with ALS live 5 years or less after their diagnosis, but some live much longer. Research is underway to find treatments to extend and improve the quality of life. With MS, the course of the disease is harder to predict. Your symptoms may come and go, and may even disappear for months or years at a time.

Do early ALS symptoms come and go?

With ALS, you may first have weakness in a limb that occurs over a few days or, more often, a few weeks. Then a few weeks or months later, weakness develops in another limb. For other people, the first sign of a problem may be slurred speech or trouble swallowing. As ALS progresses, more and more symptoms are noticed.