Diagnosis | Muscle twitching in the upper arm

Diagnosis

In case of muscle twitches in the upper arm, the diagnostic complex deals with the search for the cause of the twitch. An important basis for this is a thorough and careful taking of the medical history (medical history) in a conversation between doctor and patient. The focus here is on determining which muscle groups are affected by the twitching, how often the symptoms occur and whether they are accompanied by other symptoms.

Also the demand for existing secondary diseases (epilepsy, thyroid diseases) or a pregnancy is important for finding the cause. As a rule, the specialist can already estimate relatively accurately on the basis of the medical history whether a serious illness is a possible cause or whether the muscle twitching is to be classified as harmless. Nevertheless, a physical examination is performed afterwards.

If anything is unclear, apparatus-based examinations may be necessary, such as the measurement of electrical muscle activity (EMG) or the measurement of nerve conduction velocity (ENG) in the upper arm. If a slipped disc or MS is suspected, imaging or blood tests are also essential.

All articles in this series:

  1. Muscle twitching in the upper arm
  2. How long do muscle twitches last?
  3. Diagnosis