Left Hand Grip Strength Problems

the grip strength in my left hand seems weaker than the right, especially underneath the pinky and ring fingers, I've been testing with handgrips. I can still grip things pretty hard, but it just doesn't seem to have the strength as the right

my left hand can't do as many repeats as my right, and then when I stop, my elbow twitches. It looks like there is atrophy the palm of the side of my left hand on the side of the pinky finger, right at the bottom before it meets the wrist. When I compare it to my right hand, the left side looks flatter. This side pops out on my right, but it looks flat on my left.

I also have kind of arthritic pain shooting up the side of my left forearm, into the side of the wrist and felt in my index and ring fingers, like a shooting pain, and sometimes there is a drained feeling

I've been twitching for almost a year, and my first twitching was noticed in my left elbow, however I have never noticed any weakness there prior to now,

Have you seen a neuro and have you had an emg?

Have you been worked up for carpral tunnel syndrome? Just curious since you are feeling pain which from what I understand is not typical of ***. It's been a year and one would think you would have seen changes or felt weakness before now if it was ***. If you have not seen a dr. go, it may make you feel better to hear it straight from him/her that it is not ***.

I saw a doctor for twitching about a few months ago and he tested strength in my hands, tested reflexes, etc. He didn't feel it was necessary for additional testing.

This whole left hand thing started in the first week of November after I was exercising my arm and the side of my hand felt funny, and I got numbness and fatigue in my pinky/ring finger area (numbness like how it feels when a part of the body "goes to sleep"). It affected a lot of my activities such as typing and driving, and then it went away. Then a couple days ago I started noticing a little stiffness in the pinky/ring finger area again, so I started doing hand grip exercises and while I can do things like lift heavy weights and things, I feel like the grip strength should be better

The pains are up through my arm and hand... they come now and then, but sometimes they are horrible shooting pains and aching, but I also get them elsewhere, but not as often as the left arm. These arthritic pains might be from drinking loads of caffeine.

might I add that the grip strength feels okay around the fingers, but it's the side palm that feels different

You said it affected you then went away, ALS does not go away once there is a symptom from ALS it keeps on going and gets worse, not go away, sounds like bfs.

YYYT,

You've been twitching for a year now, as have I (almost anyway, I peg my anniversary date as on or about December 20, 2003.). You would have had real clinical weakness by now if it was ALS, and you are only talking about perceived weakness. Also, don't expect your strength in both hands to be the same. No one is symmetrical. My left hand has always been weak compared to my right, and always will be as my dominant side is my right side.

Up until about July I battled perceived weakness constantly. I felt as if my grip was weak, or a leg was weak, but I never had any functional problems when it came right down to it...just as you have described with your grip strength testing. I felt that I was weak, and it was only that, a feeling, nothing more.

Numbness is not a sign of ALS, as is pain, except for the effects of muscle cramps...and many with BFS have cramping.

You also talk about your observations of atrophy. A few months back I was sure I could see atrophy in my left hand. My left hand is flatter in the palm. I obsessed about the difference in size and shape of my hands. I've since realized however, this is not due to atrophy, but again due the natural asymmetry of our bodies.

Once I truly got past the fear of ALS a lot of my symptoms disappeared or were at least no longer of any concern.

As for twitching, they are actually worse in some areas for me. my calves twitch constantly, especially my right. I was showing my wife my right calve this morning and she agreed it was very noticeable. Constant rippling of varying intensity. In addition to the calves I have continuous roving twitches as well. I don't think I ever go 10 seconds without a twitch that can be felt (if I pay attention to them, which I don't much anymore).

Anyway, my point is, you don't have ALS, and you should relax... you're fine. If you really want piece of mind, go for further testing. An EMG will definitely rule out ALS after a year of twitching.

Cheers,
Heath

Forgot to sign in. That last post was me, Heater.

If this helps at all, my brother has been diagnosed with ulnar nerve entrapment. His symptoms are diagnosed weakness and numbness in the pinky and ring finger, occasional twitching there, occasional cramping there, and occasional pain in the elbow which may or may not be related. He is having minor same day surgery next week on his elbow to relieve it.
NoraFL

I too have ulnar nerve problems that showed up on NCS. Twice by two different Neuros. I was complaining of pinky and ring finger tingling.....they say from Cycling in the Areo position.....etc....

No need for surgery at this point in time....

Good Luck to you brother....


I still twitch after 13 months....no W/A

PDR - just curious, do you twitch just there (pinky and ring finger) or all over?
NoraFL