[dmplaura]

Don't know if this is MS, or something else that I had at the time (virus maybe?).

In any event, last year, before my MS diagnosis (fall of 07) I had twitching that began under my right eye. It was non stop from waking to bedtime.

I'd had this in the past, but it never lasted for 2 weeks straight! It was very annoying as well as you can imagine.

Well, that twitching eventually progressed into my cheek (could see the twitching around my nose on the right), then into my mouth/chin on the right (twitching in the chin).

The right side of my mouth looked like it was being pulled upwards. I'd have suspected Bells Palsy if there had been a droop (doctors who saw me at the time thought it may have been like Bells).

I had this for 2-3 months (if memory serves me correctly) and then the twitching just stopped.

All the while, I had the cruddy burning mouth syndrome (which I still have, hoping that will resolve eventually. it's much lessened now in intensity).

I've never since figured out what this facial twitching on 1 side, and the mouth being pulled upwards, could be.

Any clues? Could this have been MS? I've looked at stuff in the past, but you know how the Internet is.. , you can run into a lot of irrelevant junk.

[msarkie]

I've had random twitches since being dx'd, and I never had them before MS. I get them around my right eye, which is also the eye that has the blind spot. Also in my calves which get MS-related spasticity. So IMHO the twitches are somehow related to MS. It makes sense to me, since MS causes interruption in nerve impulses.

[lady_express_44]

I've had that twitching, which I thought was IN my eye at first, several times, Laura. I saw a specialist (had a couple of eye issues at the time, including waves in my peripheral vision), and he said "although this (twitching) is more common in people with MS, others without MS can get this too". He explained that if it isn't MS-related, then it is probably stress related.

I think what it is (for us) is the Trigeminal nerve. Since I get numbness in my mouth, and at my cheekbone too, I would say I have some TN stuff going on.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trigeminal_nerve

http://www.mult-sclerosis.org/trigeminalneuralgia.html

Twitches, pain, itchies, burning, buzzing . . . they are all neuropathic pain reactions, which are sensory symptoms.

http://www.mult-sclerosis.org/mssymptoms.html

Cherie

BTW, if you press the eyelid, the twitching will let up for a while.

[weeble]

I definitely believe it could be MS. You're RRMS. It came, it stayed a while, it left. Pretty classic IMO. I've had this too before. I've also had eye twitches that have lasted hours or so, hasn't every human? But what you are describing is much different.

Not to dismiss this Sx, but sometimes when I'm wondering if something sensory is MS or not, I think WHO CARES? It's happening anyhow!!


Kimberly

[dmplaura]

Thanks folks!

Cherie, my dentist suspected Trigeminal Neuralgia all along. When I mentioned that to my neurologist (3 week long headache or migraine, dunno which honestly, with burning pain in my face) he said "Well, that's migraine".

I'll be quite honest, I do believe my first MS "symptom" that presented was Trigeminal Neuralgia. What other headache comes on suddenly on 1 side (4+ years ago, was my left side) and is so painful you're in a ball on your floor clutching your head, thinking you're having a seizure because of the repeated stabbing pain? That's what I thought I had then. Of course, me being a 'stubborn rough chick' I never went to neurologist at that time, and after a couple months and probably this occurring 4-5 times, those severe headaches just suddenly disappeared.

I had the spinal headache after my LP and ended up in ER, which if I placed alongside the headaches years earlier with the stabbing pain, the spinal was a 10/10 in pain, whereas the other headaches (suspected TN) were a 9/10.

The facial twitching alone would not have been a cause of alarm (was just annoying), but the fact my mouth was pulling up on the right, that's what had me in tears at the time. It was noticeable. I was self conscious going into public with that mouth pull happening. No one noticed unless I mentioned (or maybe they were being nice?) and then they would say "Oh, I see what you mean". That side's never fully gone back to being symmetrical to the left.

[Bearygood]

Laura, I don't have TN but I have been visited by "Da Twitch" many times!

[dmplaura]

LOL 'Da twitch'. Sounds like a fandangled new dance huh?

Has the twitching gone on to involve 1 entire side for you folks?

I'm just glad this came and went over a period of a couple months. Not painful, but not pleasant and scary. Course if this occurs again, I'm a lot more 'aware' that this may just be MS saying "Yo, I'm back, wassup!".

[Bearygood]

Never been that way for me but knowing this weirdo disease, you'll probably find someone who's experienced it that way!

Yes, "Da Twitch" visited me for a while last month and then THIS month it was the rhythm section in my right leg. Fortunately, the band has since retired.

[dmplaura]

LOL @ the band retiring

[FinLady]

Originally Posted by dmplaura

LOL 'Da twitch'. Sounds like a fandangled new dance huh?

Has the twitching gone on to involve 1 entire side for you folks?

Actually for me it was the other way around. I had tremors all through my right side in '06, which started my DX process. Nothing like finally having a symptom that could not be ignored or pushed under a rug, huh?

Those thankfully went away after 3 months, but now get eye and mouth twitches on occassion. My neuro thinks based on my MRI, those are remnants of what happened to me in '06. Those nerves haven't rerouted completely. I don't get the symptoms for TN, so I agree with him on that one.

So know you're not alone dancing "da twitch"