Hey everyone, I know this is a very rare disease and also something to not take lightly. I wouldn't be posting unless I thought something was definitely off.
OK so some background, I'm 25 and very fit and healthy. I played professional football for 2 years before my career was cut short from concussions. So about 3 months ago I began experiencing some weakness and muscle spasms throughout my left side of my body. I went to the doctor and they ran an MRI on my brain and also did a full blood panel. Nothing came up so I was cleared. This continued to occur for awhile but would come and go in a way.
Now about 4 weeks ago I was experiencing muscle spasms only in my thumb in my ulnar muscle. This has been on and off now since then, and with it I have had some clumsiness in my pink finger the last week. I have no noticeable weakness or atrophy but nonstop spasms in my left arm and my pinky finger wanting to bend all the time. I'm pretty worried about it but wanted to wait until after the holiday season to see the doctor about all of this.
Does this sound anything like ALS, I know it's rare but I'm pretty worried as the symptoms seem to be staying and not going away.
Hi as far as I know ALS produces muscle jumps or thumps and swallowing problems. I don't want to alarm you as I am not a dr but did Parkinson's cross your mind yet. I know you're worried and hope we're both wrong. The more we google the worst it seems. At least for me. Please let me know what the final dx is. I'm in the US are you?
That hasn't crossed my mind at all, I will be going to the doctor hopefully asoon after the first of the year to get it figured out. And yes I am in the US. I will definitely report back after my appointment and praying that it's all good news.
Hi power I felt bad after I wrote that but I tnk we're all here to bounce off thoughts & and to tell the truth. I always want the truth and I am sick & tired of lame ass Drs who don't know what they're talking about. I thought you were in the UK and when you mentioned football I figured u meant soccer. I imagine you'll be going to a neurologist. Try to stay calm easier said then done I know. Happy thanksgiving and wishing you the best. Linda
your anatomy is a bit twerked ...
you may have a trigger finger...as a football player you should know a good ortho who can inject some steroid into it if is a trigger finger.
You have an ulna bone and an ulnar nerve...one right and one left...but no ulnar muscle. And the ulnar nerve does not innervate the thumb.
So, it is a bit difficult to understand your symptoms. That said, you have not mentioned some of the classic symptoms of ALS.
Perhaps a visit with a neurologist
You do not have ALS. Fasciculations caused by ALS often present it self in an advanced stage with other more crusial symptoms leading up to it. Second off all the fasciculations wouldnt come and go with ALS. The fasciculations caused by ALS happens because the nerve dies and therefore it will be localized in one muscle and stat there. You have nothing to worry about regarding ALS.
Hi.. I sure don't mean to take over someone else's thread. I have a question if that's OK, I am 37 yr old female. I woke up last week with pain in both wrist hands and forearm. My arms have just gotten so much weaker as the days go by. My hands are weak. I can grasp objects but I can feel that I'm weaker. Is this an early symptom of Als. I made the mistake to google and I almost fainted when Als came up.