Associated symptoms

The twitching in the leg can be of varying intensity and therefore the accompanying symptoms can be very different. Sudden twitches in the leg are normally painless, but in some cases painful muscle cramps may be an accompanying symptom. The calf muscles or thigh are often affected by the cramps.

When a muscle cramp occurs, there are sudden involuntary contractions, the muscle contracts painfully and hardens for a few minutes. The twitching in the leg is often an expression of psychological overload, such as chronic stress or intense sadness. Every person reacts differently to mental tension, and accordingly the accompanying symptoms range from restlessness, listlessness and sleep disorders to cardiovascular complaints, depression and lack of concentration.

If the fasciculations in the leg are caused by a pinched or irritated nerve, it can also lead to sensory disturbances and sensory deficiencies in the area supplied by the affected nerve. Almost everyone knows and has experienced it: while falling asleep, the leg suddenly twitches quickly and uncontrollably. The twitching can even be so strong that one wakes up again.

The phase between waking and sleeping is called hypnagogy. The eyes are closed, the body relaxes and is about to go to sleep. So that the body can sleep, the brain is shut down, so to speak.

However, the different regions of the brain are slowed down at different speeds: while some regions are already asleep, other regions that are responsible for movement are still active. In this intermediate state, unwanted twitches of the muscles occur. Another common neurological phenomenon that can lead to muscle twitches in the brain before falling asleep is restless legs syndrome (“restless legs syndrome”).

This causes unpleasant sensations in the legs and makes you feel the need to move.The symptoms usually appear before falling asleep when the body is at rest and disappear when the body is moved. In addition to twitching, sufferers also experience tingling, tearing, itching and pulling in the legs. Twitching in the legs can occur in healthy people after exercise.

These are usually caused by extreme physical strain, such as sprinting or long jumping. This leads to a lack of electrolytes, as the body quickly loses electrolytes due to the increased sweat production. Usually, however, these twitches in the leg are harmless and no further medical clarification is required.

It is important to drink enough during sports. In case of electrolyte deficiency, simple magnesium tablets can often be helpful before sport. The twitching in the leg is usually not associated with pain.

However, strong twitches can cause muscle cramps in the calf or thigh, which are very painful. Patients suffering from restless legs syndrome experience unpleasant sensations in the legs. These discomforts can be very distressing and are often experienced as unbearable by those affected.

In addition to twitches in the leg, involuntary muscle contractions can also occur in the arms. Twitching in the legs and arms is usually a temporary phenomenon and only in very rare cases is it an indication of a serious illness. Benign muscle twitches occur particularly frequently in the face or extremities (arms and legs), the trunk muscles are usually not affected.

Individual muscle fiber bundles contract shortly and several times in a row. The involuntary twitches are visible under the skin and often unsettle the affected persons, although they have no disease value and are completely harmless. Triggers are often psychological tension, stress or stimulating substances such as alcohol or caffeine.

However, if the twitching in the legs and arms continues for a long time, it is a chronic condition. In such cases, a doctor should be consulted in order to rule out that a serious illness is hidden behind the uncontrolled contractions. Many expectant mothers are affected by problems with their legs, especially in the last months of pregnancy.

More than 25% of pregnant women suffer from restless legs syndrome, in which the legs involuntarily twitch and tingle. The symptoms occur mainly at rest when the body should actually be relaxed and can be of varying severity. Some patients only feel a slight twitching and tingling in their legs, while others feel severe pain coming from deep within the muscles and bones of the legs.

Sometimes, in addition to the legs, the arms are also affected by the unconscious muscle twitches. The symptoms are particularly severe when women sit still for long periods of time (driving a car, going to the movies) or lie in bed. Movement improves the pain, but leads to insomnia and problems falling asleep.

Those affected therefore sleep significantly worse and are less often in the restful deep sleep phases. If the body does not get enough sleep, this has serious consequences: the constant tiredness is stressful and can lead to concentration problems and depression. Why especially pregnant women are so often affected by restless legs syndrome is not yet fully understood.

However, it is suspected that there is a connection between muscle twitching and iron deficiency. Iron deficiency during pregnancy is not uncommon, because the fact that the fetus needs to be supplied with iron means that more iron is needed than usual. Researchers also suspect a genetic predisposition to restless legs syndrome.

Relaxation techniques and autogenic training can help to alleviate the symptoms. Pregnant women should also make sure that they are getting enough iron. Usually the problems improve after birth and in many cases the unpleasant muscle twitches disappear completely afterwards.

Many babies often flinch, this can happen while sleeping, but also when the children are awake. Causes for the sudden twitching are when the baby gets scared or changes from one sleep phase to the next. Sometimes there is also no apparent reason for the sudden muscle contractions.

Behind this jerking of the baby is the so-called Moro reflex (clamping reflex). This is a primitive reflex of newborns to a threatening or frightening situation.The reflex is triggered by noises, light stimuli or changes in position and typically occurs in a very specific sequence: The child stretches its arms and legs jerkily and spreads its fingers, the mouth opens, the arms and legs are pulled back on and the fingers close to a fist. This primitive reflex gradually disappears by the third or fourth month of life, as the baby’s central nervous system matures.

During the U-examinations, the pediatrician also uses the Moro reflex to check if the child is normally developed or has neurological disorders. The nerve damage associated with MS can lead to twitching in the leg. In the clinical picture of multiple sclerosis, damage to the myelin sheath, the protective covering that surrounds parts of the nerve cells, occurs.

As a result, the transmission of signals, which are mediated by the neurons, is disturbed and various symptoms occur. These include a disruption in the control of muscle activity and may result in twitching in various parts of the body, such as the legs. A stroke leads to circulatory disorders in the brain.

Depending on how long the undersupply of oxygen lasts, the affected area of the brain can be more or less severely damaged. Besides paralysis and loss of sensation, a stroke can also lead to spastic paralysis. The damage in the brain causes a loss of inhibitory signals and the affected muscle group can no longer relax.

The result is an increase in muscle tone and the resulting uncontrolled twitching and muscle tension in the arms or legs. These muscle spasms lead to stiffening of the affected limbs and are extremely painful. The extent of the damage depends on how badly a particular area of the brain has been damaged.

The muscle twitches triggered by a stroke can range from slight restrictions to complete immobility. After a slipped disc in the lumbar spine, the damaged nerves can also cause twitches in the leg. Due to the structural changes in the spine, nerves are often compressed.

Depending on the location and extent of the nerve compression, the areas supplied by the nerves may experience symptoms of failure. These include paralysis, tingling or sensitivity disorders as well as muscle failure. This can manifest itself in a disturbance of the activity of the hip and leg muscles with twitches. A physician should therefore be consulted if there are occurring and persistent twitches in the leg in connection with severe back pain.