Neuromuscular In memory of Rose Marie.


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Old 05-21-2017, 09:41 AM #1
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Default Thumb twitching and spasms, what is this?

Can anyone help me with these symptoms? I am 44, female. It started 5 weeks ago with light twitches in right thumb flexor muscle (on the base of thumb, flexor part of thenar muscles), only when provoked with strong actions of flexor.
I did not think about it but it did not go away, in fact it's getting progressively worse.
3 weeks later twitches were much more easily provoked, with light squeeze or pulling with thumb and happened more times during the day. I decide to rest my hand to let it heal, but it just got worse instead.
Neurologist scared me to death, even thou I did emg about 2 weeks before twitches ( I had twitches on left arm but they were gone soon after) started and it was normal. AT his point I am VERY worried and obsessed with thumb.
4 weeks, twitches started to appear spontaneously and unprovoked, together with strong spasms of flexor, so my thumb moves uncontrollably and sometimes gets "stuck" and my hand feels slightly sore. It starts to appear at night waking me up.
5 weeks, still worse, ortoped diagnosed tendinosis and RSI (I am software developer for 20 years) at thumb but I am still worried as it gets worse. It starts to wake me up at night and twitches look more like spasms still on flexor. Thumb moves and sometimes just sticks to palm. At night it's worse this can last for minutes, it starts to hurt, muscle is sore. At day it happens without being provoked or with, usually if provoked just twitches and last short but if unprovoked spasms. Feels worse at night and when I am not using hand but now whole hand is sore. I am not sure which symptom is real and which I provoked by thinking of it all the time. I tend to get obsessed about als and to fear worst. It is still bad, woke me up 2x times, can't rest, hand is tense and sore, thumb spasms from time to time which is SCARY.
I am really depressed, scared, and also to mention badly anemic (still no reason for that too), iron deficiency anemia. Ca, MG, Ph, k and Na in blood ok, thyroid fine.
More than thumb I am worried I am going crazy with this obsession that I am dying. Couple of doctors told me not to worry but I can't help it. I am tired, almost suicidal.
I am afraid of medications as I have bad bad experience with these.
Does anyone know what is wrong with my hand? Could it be really just tendinosis, with no pain?
So scared...
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Old 05-21-2017, 01:06 PM #2
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Lightbulb

I read your other posts too, and wonder if you know what your
B12 level is? It should be over 400pg/ml. Low B12 is the end stage of some anemias.

Also try some soaks for your restless legs and hand twitches, in epsom salts. Use only lukewarm water. A 1/2 hr in a bathtub with 6-8 oz of epsom salts may work for you.

Low blood sugar is also often a cause for muscle twitching.
So is compression at the carpal tunnel for thumb, first and second finger symptoms.
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Old 05-21-2017, 01:59 PM #3
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I read your other posts too, and wonder if you know what your
B12 level is? It should be over 400pg/ml. Low B12 is the end stage of some anemias.

Also try some soaks for your restless legs and hand twitches, in epsom salts. Use only lukewarm water. A 1/2 hr in a bathtub with 6-8 oz of epsom salts may work for you.

Low blood sugar is also often a cause for muscle twitching.
So is compression at the carpal tunnel for thumb, first and second finger symptoms.
Thank you for your answer. Unfortunately, it's not that easy. My blood sugar and b12 are normal, emg did not show carpal tunnel, in fact it did not show anything abnormal. But I am still worried as my right hand problems are getting harder to handle. I can't use it which is difficult, as thumb goes into spasm as soon as I touch it. Usually those are some kind of repeated spasms that move thumb, but sometimes, they look like twitches, I am not sure how to differ those.My wrist is somewhat sore also, so are most of hand muscles, probably of improper use.
I could try with epsom salts, but I am worried what this is.
I used to draw and paint now I can't even hold the pencil anymore of spasms.
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Old 05-21-2017, 02:30 PM #4
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Lightbulb

If you respond to the epsom salts, do them once a day for at least a week. The magnesium in them opens up small blood vessels to improve circulation there and also they block pain signals from the NMDA pain receptors.

It is safe, inexpensive and easy to use epsom salts as a soak, as long as you don't use hot water.

Look at what you are eating. Too much sugar or carbs, or MSG in processed food (including restaurant food), or histamine containing foods can cause nerve problems for some people.
Some react to hot sauces which are nightshades. Avoid hot sauces, chilis , paprika for 2 weeks if you eat them alot. You might be surprised at the improvements you may have.

There is a histamine thread in the subforum at the PN forum here. Search "histamine" on page one there and I have some links you can read.
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Old 05-21-2017, 02:58 PM #5
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If you respond to the epsom salts, do them once a day for at least a week. The magnesium in them opens up small blood vessels to improve circulation there and also they block pain signals from the NMDA pain receptors.

It is safe, inexpensive and easy to use epsom salts as a soak, as long as you don't use hot water.

Look at what you are eating. Too much sugar or carbs, or MSG in processed food (including restaurant food), or histamine containing foods can cause nerve problems for some people.
Some react to hot sauces which are nightshades. Avoid hot sauces, chilis , paprika for 2 weeks if you eat them alot. You might be surprised at the improvements you may have.

There is a histamine thread in the subforum at the PN forum here. Search "histamine" on page one there and I have some links you can read.
I will absolutely try epsom salt baths thanks for the advice.

I do eat a lot of sugar, possibly carbs too, also some histamine foods. I could try with antihistamines and to cut it.

What is bad is that I can't sleep well. Spasms wake me up and sometimes won't subside for an hour. I am very tired and there is anemia too.
I am worried that spasms are mostly in that thumb muscle the rest are minor and rare and move around. Only this one is focal but strong enough to bother me.
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Old 05-21-2017, 04:16 PM #6
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Lightbulb

Typical antihistamines do not really work on food allergies or food induced histamine.

The H2 blockers work better on food issues. This is Zantac, Pepcid and Tagamet. Allergists use these for food reactions.

Another thing that works on food problems is Sod. Bicarbonate.
AlkaSeltzer Gold or the plain tablets. This blocks histamine receptors and can reduce chronic pain. No more than 3 times a day. But avoiding the triggers is the best way to do this rather than supplements after the fact..

If you are engaging in some exercise to stress your hand, like boxing, making fists, or grasping some tool with stressful force, that has to stop. Some yoga positions may stress the hand and palms.. Are you using some squeeze balls or hand energizers?
If so stop them.

Baby yourself for at least a month. See if things change.
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Old 05-21-2017, 04:45 PM #7
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Red face

You know, sometimes these things resolve themselves on their own.
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Old 05-22-2017, 01:22 AM #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mrsD View Post
Typical antihistamines do not really work on food allergies or food induced histamine.

The H2 blockers work better on food issues. This is Zantac, Pepcid and Tagamet. Allergists use these for food reactions.

Another thing that works on food problems is Sod. Bicarbonate.
AlkaSeltzer Gold or the plain tablets. This blocks histamine receptors and can reduce chronic pain. No more than 3 times a day. But avoiding the triggers is the best way to do this rather than supplements after the fact..

If you are engaging in some exercise to stress your hand, like boxing, making fists, or grasping some tool with stressful force, that has to stop. Some yoga positions may stress the hand and palms.. Are you using some squeeze balls or hand energizers?
If so stop them.

Baby yourself for at least a month. See if things change.
Omg, I do cardio kick-boxing and boxing, at least I did up until a week ago! But I loved it... Also I did yoga, yes, a lot of it on hands. It's tough to give up workouts when you worked on it for so much. I will have to find something that would not stress my hands. What could it be?

I am also a developer which means I use my thumb a lot at work, which is hard to avoid. That part will be hard to repair.
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Old 05-22-2017, 07:19 AM #9
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Lightbulb

There is one more factor I'd like to mention:

If you have used in the past a drug from the fluoroquinolone family (Cipro, Levaquin or Avelox)...you need to know that these drugs which are common antibiotics and used for UTIs and pneumonias, can affect the tendons and cause ruptures and other pathology. Somehow they interfere with tendon maintenance. This usually happens AFTER the treatments and is often overlooked by doctors. The toxicity of these drugs is considerable.

This may be a factor for you in addition to extreme physical activity that also stresses tendons.

Tendon injury takes a long time to heal. It might be a good idea to see a hand specialist at this point.
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Old 05-22-2017, 07:40 AM #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mrsD View Post
There is one more factor I'd like to mention:

If you have used in the past a drug from the fluoroquinolone family (Cipro, Levaquin or Avelox)...you need to know that these drugs which are common antibiotics and used for UTIs and pneumonias, can affect the tendons and cause ruptures and other pathology. Somehow they interfere with tendon maintenance. This usually happens AFTER the treatments and is often overlooked by doctors. The toxicity of these drugs is considerable.

This may be a factor for you in addition to extreme physical activity that also stresses tendons.

Tendon injury takes a long time to heal. It might be a good idea to see a hand specialist at this point.
Thanks for information, MrsD,
in fact I did use cipro for UTI, but it was in December 2016, so about 6 months ago. After just few doses my left arm started to shake and give up when i was working out so I found horrible stuff about cipro and requested another antibiotic (which I got).
NOw I am not sure how much damage can 3 or 4 days of cipro can do, and how long effects can last, but after what I read, this medication should not be given to someone who exercises or plans to exercise. Also, you should never ever take NSAIDs (any) during or soon after you are finished with cipro.
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