The diagnosis
Should the need for further clarification by a neurologist arise, he or she will first ask some important questions about the twitching, as well as about the person himself or herself, in order to reduce the large pool of causes. This is followed by a physical and neurological examination by the doctor. If no cause has been found yet, neurological examinations such as EEG, EMG or ENG may follow. If necessary, more general examinations such as sectional imaging (CT, MRT), blood tests, liquor punctures or allergy tests can also be arranged.
The treatment
The treatment of muscle twitches depends on the cause of the twitch and therefore varies greatly. Mostly, however, they are harmless and self-limiting twitches that do not require further treatment. If symptoms occur more frequently, stress in everyday life is usually the trigger and can therefore be prevented by relaxing measures such as sports, autogenic training or yoga.
A balanced diet with special attention to a sufficient intake of magnesium, as well as avoiding alcohol and caffeine can also help to alleviate the twitching. Medication can also have side effects that cause muscle twitches. If this is the case, it should be discussed with the doctor whether it is possible to switch to a similar medication.
However, if there is a neurological or organic disease that causes the twitching, the treatment is directed against this disease. For example, neurological “tics” or “Tourette’s syndrome” are treated with so-called neuroleptics. If there is an epileptic cause, it is treated with antiepileptic drugs. The situation becomes more complicated in the case of diseases such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which, in addition to drug therapy, can also include accompanying treatments such as physiotherapy. How can stress be reduced?
The duration
The duration of a muscle twitch can vary greatly, ranging from a few milliseconds to minutes. Most of the time, however, the twitching is within a range of a few seconds and usually stops on its own. There are, however, a few exceptions, such as a rhythmically recurring twitch, which is medically called “tremor” and occurs for example in Parkinson’s disease, can also be chronic.
