This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

I know tremors can be a sign of MS.......but i've been dealing with something for the past few months that seem to come and go.

Recently especially, in certain "positions" of my thumb or certain fingers i'll have a sort of 'twitch'.....but it seems to go away once I change positions. Now in my job I am at the computer alot, so naturally my hands probably get alot of "stress", and tons of things can obviously cause twitching/tremors. This is both at rest and when held against gravity/moving etc.

Anyways, I guess my question is......does this sound at all familiar to anyone with MS?......and also the thing is, is it's in both hands (albeit a bit worse on my left). Twitching/Tremors in MS is caused my Lesions in the motor pathways I'd assume, so wouldn't that mean it'd only be on a certain "side" of my brain? (and for it to be on both sides at the same location would be a huge coicidence). Unless thats not how MS works?

I've had no tingling/weakness in my arms or hands either (besides the general arm fatigue that comes with sitting at a computer all day).
Sorry for the strange question, i've just been trying to narrow it down. I have no other real symptoms of MS (no real serious fatigue...except when I don't sleep haha, and no weakness or anything). I've also been told most tremors that people with MS experience are way later on in the disease (like 8-11 years of being diagnosed).
Thanks

Mercfh,
Focal tremor in my right hand was my first symptom of MS. I began to have twitching in the index finger of my rt. index finger about 6 years ago. The combination of the tremor and twitching of my finger has made it very hard to manage mouse controlled applications on my computer at work. It is much worse when I am under stress which is all the time at my job. The tremor and twitching are both much worse when I am tired.

Focal tremor is a common symptom of MS, but I have not found a Neurologist who will attribute the finger twitch to my MS. As my MS has progressed the tremor and twitching has gotten worse, so I cannot believe that they are not related.

Thank you for your post. I am thankful to know that I am not alone with my twitching.

Was yours like a constant tremor? Or did it only happen in certain positions? Mine only happens when my thumb is in a certain position. As I figured yours is only in one hand, mine is in both hands (one is worse though). But I am not diagnosed with MS......so I dunno.

also they may not have attributed it to MS because "apparently" tremors are most common in those with MS for 5-10 years as opposed to those who are just getting it.

I have experienced pretty much what you are describing, which was a beginning symptom of MS for me. I actually mentioned it to a friend who is a neuro and he dismissed it pretty much. But, he is very conservative, and wanted me to eliminate fish oil and diet drinks from my diet before launching into expensive testing. I kind of bypassed it all and checked into the ER, where I got the MRI that showed brain de-myelinization. He changed his stance after I showed him the scan! (Note that I did have legitimate reasons for going to the ER..it wasn’t just to finagle an MRI. I didn’t even ask for one, but I did have some dizziness and chest tingling – which may have been an MS symptom – that prompted me to go.)

For me, the twitching comes and goes. I experience it in both hands, mostly in the little and ring fingers. Caffeine might make it a worse. I say “might” as I am not sure – I am not observant enough to keep track of it all.

I would suggest you see a neurologist, though he might dismiss things. They see very bad cases of MS and may view your symptoms to be too mild to bother with. It is not that they are not caring – my doc is very caring and concerned – but if you have it, it is most likely going to be getting worse and the box of tools to fight it are rather limited at this point. Until you start showing some bigger symptoms, they may want try to rule out other things that are simply and cheap to do (i.e. stop drinking caffeine or diet drinks) before resorting to MRI, Evoke Potentials, etc. Still, try to insist on an MRI and, if he won’t do it and if you have good insurance, consider going to the ER and complaining about dizziness and tremors, and you will get your MRI and, possibly, a spinal tap. (Mine was negative, but it can take a while for MS to show up there.) Of course, if you get the DX, then you have to decide what you want to do about it. In some ways, being in denial in the early stages is kind of nice, as once you get the DX, you get welcomed to the world of Solumedral, DMD’s, etc.

But, the sooner you get the dx, the sooner you may be able to start treatment. There is a new drug that may be coming out later this year; there are some interesting results coming from CCSVI research; and stem cell treatment offers a potential cure of the disease (but is a tad bit expensive and has a difficult recovery period). I, obviously, wanted to know what was going on, but even though I suspected it was MS, it is still a shock to actually see de-myelinization of your own brain!

So did you have any numbness/tingling or anything?
shit....now Im scared half to death.....I don't really exhibit any other symptoms of it.

You'd figure you'd at least experience other symptoms like fatigue as well?

There are some MS symptoms that can be triggered by position, but any neck/back/limb symptom that depends on position should be investigated for possible physical (musculo-skeletal) causes.

My preference for that sort of dx is a Physiatrist: http://www.aapmr.org/patients/aboutpmr/ ... trist.aspx

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RRMS dx 3/3/11; Copaxone since 12/1/11

Marklevelle thanks for your response, i know lheremittes sign is triggered by neck position, but i wasnt sure if u seemed to suggest my problem is neuro or probably muscular?

I'm saying that most MS symptoms are not triggered by position, and that most sx associated with MS (including yours) can also be caused by other problems. I am in no position to dx your problem either way.

You haven't told us what your neuro has said, but I would recommend that you see a physiatrist anyway. In my case, the 1st MS sx came at about the same time as a herniated disc acting up. It was my physiatrist that realized that the physical disc problem didn't explain all the sx, and sent me to a neuro (but it was another year before my dx).

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RRMS dx 3/3/11; Copaxone since 12/1/11

Thanks, im seeing the neuro tommorow ill see what he says.

Woops sorry forgot to leave out one thing.....which is the main reason Im worried about MS.

the twitching seems to be "worse" when im taking like a really hot bath.....but no other symptoms appear or anything. I dunno if heat intolerance just affects tremors anyways....but I know Uthoff's syndrome is a MS thing....but I get no tingling....no blurry vision or anything (sure I feel a LITTLE tired after a hot bath) but not really any worse then when I got in.

Being hot triggers symptoms in many with MS. That may be another clue you have it.

Yes, I was getting some numbness, mainly in my wrists. It was some prickly pains I was getting in my chest region that sent me to the ER. I later read that such pains can also be a sign of MS.

Ya the heat thing is my main worry.....since I have no other real symptoms to speak of. No numbness....no nothing.

Talked to Neuro....he seemed to think the chance of it being MS is highly unlikely, regardless im having a scan wed.
Time for the waiting game.....sigh.

Same thing my neuro told me - until I showed him the MRI. Hope yours is right!

You said you felt numbess? I don't feel that (unless im laying down...which seems to cause my arms/legs to feel numb.....but soon as a stand back up I feel fine. I have alot of back problems maybe I have some sort of pinched nerve).

Did you experience any fatigue FJhawk?