Muscle fasciculations

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Muscle fasciculations in potassium channelopathy by vlivings. Muscle twitching can be a symptom of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis.

Muscle fasciculations or muscle twitches are small, rapid, involuntary contractions in skeletal muscles that are too weak to move a limb.[1] Superficial muscle fasciculations are visible to the eye. Deeper muscle fasciculations are detected by electromyography (EMG) testing.[2] They result from an involuntary firing of a single motor neuron (nerve cell) and all its innervated muscle fibers.[3]

Muscle fasciculations can occur in healthy people especially in the eyelid muscles, and are considered harmless, however, when fasciculations are accompanied by muscle weakness or atrophy, these fasciculations may indicate a neurological dysfunction.[1]

Prevalence[edit | edit source]

Symptom recognition[edit | edit source]

The Canadian Consensus Criteria lists muscle fasciculations as a symptom of ME/CFS under the section Neurological/Cognitive Manifestations.[5]

Notable studies[edit | edit source]

Possible causes[edit | edit source]

Potential treatments[edit | edit source]

Learn more[edit | edit source]

See also[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Steven McGee (2018), Chapter 61 – Examination of the Motor System: Approach to Weakness (print)
  2. Mills, K R (June 1, 2005). "The basics of electromyography". Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry. 76 (suppl_2): ii32–ii35. doi:10.1136/jnnp.2005.069211. ISSN 0022-3050. PMC 1765694. PMID 15961866.
  3. Killian, J.M.. (2010). Electromyography. 428-435. doi:10.1016/B978-0-323-05712-7.00026-X.
  4. De Becker, Pascale; McGregor, Neil; De Meirleir, Kenny (December 2001). "A definition‐based analysis of symptoms in a large cohort of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome". Journal of Internal Medicine. 250 (3): 234–240. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2796.2001.00890.x.
  5. Carruthers, Bruce M.; Jain, Anil Kumar; De Meirleir, Kenny L.; Peterson, Daniel L.; Klimas, Nancy G.; Lerner, A. Martin; Bested, Alison C.; Flor-Henry, Pierre; Joshi, Pradip; Powles, A C Peter; Sherkey, Jeffrey A.; van de Sande, Marjorie I. (2003), "Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Clinical Working Case Definition, Diagnostic and Treatment Protocols", Journal of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, 11 (2): 7-115, doi:10.1300/J092v11n01_02