Twitching in the stomach

Definition

Twitching is an involuntary, painless, differently pronounced and time-limited contraction of individual muscle fibers, muscle bundles or entire muscle bellies and is known in medicine as “muscle twitching“. In principle, they can occur in any muscle of the body, but they occur more frequently on the face and extremities. Twitching is usually without clinical findings and therefore requires medical clarification only in rare cases.

The causes

Rare and short-lasting muscle twitches that occur only in certain regions of the body usually have harmless causes. For example, stress and mental strain can trigger twitches. These usually occur on the eyelid, the corners of the mouth or on the extremities.

Another common cause is temporarily pinched or irritated nerves. Caffeine, alcohol, drugs and some medications are also frequent triggers of twitches, but these disappear again as soon as the body has broken down the respective substance. Another important cause is electrolyte disorders, which can often occur after intense physical exercise.

Magnesium and sodium, but also calcium and potassium, play a major role here, as these electrolytes are important in the transmission of the nerve impulse to the muscle and the subsequent tension. Also the so-called “falling asleep twitches”, which occur mainly in the late phase of falling asleep, are usually without any disease value. Apart from these frequent harmless causes, however, diseases can also be behind them.

Therefore, long lasting, unusual or very frequent twitches should be clarified neurologically. Examples of such diseases are epilepsy so-called “tics“, Tourette’s syndrome, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, polyneuropathy, bacterial and viral infections, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and many more. These articles may also be of interest to you:

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The accompanying symptoms

Depending on the cause of the muscle twitches, different accompanying symptoms are possible. If the cause is stress or emotional strain, the twitching leads to a further strain in addition to the already existing stress. Frequent twitching can be a restriction in everyday life, as it is very annoying and often perceived as unpleasant.

In addition, there is often also fear of illness and of the fact that the twitching does not stop or disappear. If the twitching is caused by trapped or irritated nerves, it is often associated with pain at the respective location and may have an orthopedic connection. Electrolyte disorders, such as a magnesium deficiency, often manifest themselves as muscle cramps, weakness, headaches, lack of concentration and muscle tremors and can be improved by magnesium supplementation. If, however, an organic or neurological cause is responsible for the twitching, it can vary greatly. It is therefore recommended to pay attention to changes, pain and unusual symptoms and to consult a doctor if necessary.