Eye twitch!

[WoahGreenGiant]

Hi everyone! I have an annoying eye twitch at the moment that's been freaking me out a bit. It's been there on and off since Sunday. It's only in the top lid of my right eye and happens every few minutes or so and then it'll stop for a longer period and start again.

I'm a bit of a worrier anyway and I'm convincing myself it's an MS symptom (my mum was diagnosed with MS a few years ago and I've been anxious about the family link ever since, although I don't know what her symptoms were).

Can anyone talk me down? Is it likely to be dehydration/stress? I'm symptom-spotting and worrying myself! By chance I have an optician's appointment tomorrow so hopefully they'll spot any possible eye problems. If anyone can advise me, I'd be super grateful.

[Michelleheidi]

@WoahGreenGiant I know this post is nearly 2 years old but I have had an eye twitch for 9 weeks now and I’ve been having heaviness in my right arm too for the last 2 weeks I’m waiting on blood results and a brain mri but my doctor seems to think this is all down to anxiety I’m just wondering if you got over all your symptoms or got a diagnosis? 😊

[Mumma1984]

@WoahGreenGiant yessss! Great! Exactly what happened to me with the numb shoulder feeling and it was no where near the same after the chiro! Bet your bloods come back normal too :)

[WoahGreenGiant]

Hi everyone, just wanted to give a bit of an update if that's OK, because you've spent time and energy replying to my worries.

I'm still waiting on blood results and my doctor's appointment is later on this afternoon but I went to the chiropractor yesterday (never been to one before) and it seemed quite enlightening!

He said that my right hip (or sacral joint and then consequently hip) doesn't extend quite as it should, possibly due to a running injury, which pushed one of my cervical vertebrae slightly out of its place on the right hand side. Because it was a vertebra in the neck, it's probable that that was affecting my nerves on both sides, hence the tingling in my hands and arms. Since my appointment yesterday I've had some 'zings' through my hands but nowhere near the level of tingling and numbness that I had before. Fingers crossed this is the answer. Still waiting to hear what the doctor has to say though!

[Mumma1984]

@WoahGreenGiant tell the doc your worries hun, my doc was quite reassuring with it, I was only sent for the brain scan because my anxiety was sky high and I cried and cried but my GP and the neuro didn't feel it was needed in fact the neuro said I wouldn't normally scan with your symptoms and I had what u are talking about and more. I still have to try and tell myself that now because my MS fear is out of control. My grandfathers stepbrother had it and was close to the family so I think my panic started there! I find it a tough worry to handle because there is no easy fix to testing and also because it's so random with symptoms (or so the internet says!) please try not to let yourself spiral, just try and put it to the back of your mind for now, tell the doc your worries and then trust their opinion. All the things I wish I'd done before the worry took 7 years!

[WoahGreenGiant]

I've been doing the heel-toe walking test and touching my nose with each index finger from outstretched arms (does that make sense?) and they both seem to be fine. Still feeling panicky about MS now that I've got the idea in my head. I know nobody here can tell me whether I have it or not but it helps a bit to post. Do you think these things always get picked up by OCT scans or could they have missed it? Sorry, everyone.

[WoahGreenGiant]

Thank you, everyone. The numbness in my arm is stil there slightly but not as bad as it was. It seems to be in my shoulders now and up to my jaw, but especially in my shoulders when I was driving. It's a bit scary, I think my panicking is probably not helping. I'm relieved by the optician not seeing any signs of MS but I'm going to try to bring the doctor's appointment forward just to talk to a HCP about it. Thanks, everyone.

[Mumma1984]

@Caramel78 @TorysSuckRevokeArticle50 I agree with these guys! I have this feeling in my left shoulder and I too connected it to awful neuro disease because that's what google says. I saw a chiro who said my muscles on that side are extremely tight compared to the other - and it's the side I sleep on etc - I do think anxiety has a big part to play - I've also had all the bloods and scans and docs keep coming back to anxiety - we can't all have something terrifying so hopefully odds are in our favor!

[TorysSuckRevokeArticle50]

Caffeine and tiredness give me an eye twitch, but only when I'm at the waaayyy too much Diet Coke and coffee and waaaayyy too little sleep stage.

I've had a similar arm numb/tingly sensation when the muscles in my neck and shoulders have been tight and knotted due to stress or sleeping badly.

Getting a couple of nights decent sleep, combined with relaxation and heat applied to neck/shoulders has helped. I find swimming good for this too as the exercise stretches out muscles and I find swimming up and down up and down.... tranquil (as long as there's no blokey blokes speed swimming, thrashing and splashing as they go)

[Caramel78]

You could have a trapped nerve somewhere. I get things like twitching muscles, tingling in legs. numb toe etc and I’ve had every type of blood test and scan you can think of (including brain MRI). Everything normal except a bit aneamic. I have really bad anxiety so the GP thinks this is also causing physical symptoms

[MLMsuperfan]

I world say numbness is the kind of symptom that your brain can helpfully give you if you let it. Kind of like dry mouth or itchy scalp.

[WoahGreenGiant]

Thanks for your advice, everyone. The eye twitch seems to have resolved itself which I'm glad about.

I do now have numbness in my right arm, though, which is worrying me. I still have movement and sensation but it feels heavier than my left arm and the numbness is also in my shoulder. It's been there on and off this week and is worse when I'm typing (I only type with my right hand ). It came on badly yesterday when I put on my heavy rucksack getting off the train and hasn't gone away since then. Last night in bed it felt like I was going numb all over but this morning it's just back to my right arm. I've been up and about and my balance feels fine.

Could this be a physical or psychosomatic thing? I already have a GP appointment for next Thursday which is the earliest they could fit me in. Any advice would be gratefully received!

[woogal]

I get this when I'm tired and stressed.

[kitk]

I get this when stressed/ tired!

[Cardy24]

My eye twitches stopped after I started taking magnesium tablets.

[Judystilldreamsofhorses]

I get this often - I think it’s being tired, run down, and stressed. It is v annoying but like you, my optician said it’s nothing to worry about when I asked at my six month lens check. She said her little girl calls it “eye hiccups” when she (optician, not child) gets it! Glad you got some reassurance, OP.

[Mumma1984]

Yay! That's so good :) I'm glad it's helped you - that's exactly what I did and he said no reason to be worried where my eyes are concerned - I think anxiety physical symptoms are evil! Most likely the twitch was eye strain, tiredness, stress, caffeine or good old anxiety! Magnesium I've heard can also help possibly :)

[WoahGreenGiant]

Just back from the optician's and had the OCT scan as well - apparently this is going to become part of regular eye check-ups soon, which is exciting

Everything came back clear and I asked the optician specifically about MS and the twitch. He said he'd diagnosed one of his best friends with MS from an eye scan so he knows what to look out for but everything looked healthy and happy with mine

Thanks all for listening to my panicking. Sorry

[Mumma1984]

Stress and anxiety can hit you anytime hun and the physical effects - hopefully your doc can reassure u x

[WoahGreenGiant]

Thanks, Mumma. I've had a little look at my eyes this morning and the area underneath when you pull down your lower lid is quite pale - maybe slightly anaemic?

I'm not sure how to go about asking what my mum's first symptoms were without panicking her. If it's a more dramatic first episode then hopefully that rules me out. I just feel generally run down and then have had these worrying side effects.

Things have been a bit busy around here recently - I'm teaching p/t and doing an MA and worrying about jobs, mortgages, houses etc, so stress wouldn't be surprising, although I can't say I've felt stressed as such.

I hope you're OK, health anxiety is really horrible, as you say.

[Mumma1984]

B12 and Vit D can show those kinds of muscle etc symptoms - def up those - Vit D is a factor in things like cancer and MS. Would it maybe be helpful to find out what your mums intial symptoms were? I've been told usually it's fairly drastic the first 'episode' like the eye stuff etc it might make u feel better ... although if you haven't done so already DO NOT GOOGLE - I really screwed up there - I know too much then my brain can cause things and I worry constantly. I've had a MRI about 6 years ago and I still worry. Also keep in mind MS effects 1/600 people ... you have good odds. Health Anxiety is horrible. X

[WoahGreenGiant]

@Mumma1984 thank you for posting about your experience, that's really helpful. It's definitely been on my mind since we found out about DM's diagnosis. I'm hopeful that it's anxiety messing with me. It's amazing (in a weird way) what our bodies do to us when we're stressed, isn't it? I studied abroad for a while and when I first got there, my periods stopped completely, I went and had a full MOT by a German doctor, felt like Melman the giraffe from Madagascar

I think I could eat more healthily - I'm a vegetarian, almost vegan, so I'm probably missing out on some iron and B12 which won't be helping. Going to start taking my vitamin supplements again. Thank you

[Mumma1984]

Ps sorry- I keep thinking of something else I forgot to say ha if your opticians offer an OCT scan say yes - it's eye hospital quality equipment and they can spot things like glaucoma and stuff 4 years in advance !

[Mumma1984]

@WoahGreenGiant you actually sound very similar to me, I've done the breast cancer / bowel cancer rounds as well as continuous ms worry due to a relative having it!

[Mumma1984]

@WoahGreenGiant had you already been worrying about that? Anxiety can cause those symptoms - eye twitch isn't an MS thing, generally eye related MS stuff is optic neuritis which is painful and you either can get blurred or lost vision, also MS stuff I've been told by a GP doesn't come and go day to day - for example your left side goes numb for weeks then subsides. I have huge MS anxiety too so if that's how you feeling I hugely sympathize x

[WoahGreenGiant]

Thank you, everyone. I woke up in the night with pins and needles in my limbs and I feel a bit tingly in one hand now, and my feet, although I think that's how I've been sitting.

I feel a bit sick and tearful at the thought of having a condition. I've booked a doctor's appointment but the earliest they can do is next Thursday. The optician's is today so I'll see what they say, I've heard that early signs of MS are often picked up at optician's appointments.

Thanks everyone