Exploring Significance of Fasciculations

[LilTiger92]

I have read and searched but am not turning up much. Can someone please explain the significance, if any, between the two? It seems what I find says that the nasty diseases have non-visible fasciculations and the BFSers have rather visible ones. I ask because..you guessed it...mine are non visible. I can feel them in my calfs, ankles, legs but I can't see anything and so after a rather calm afternoon I am back to panicking. You guys have been at this way longer than me so I am ready to be schooled! (note..not scolded. Please don't scold me lol. I'm sensitive and just a teensy bit worked up and scared)

 

[GlowGreen]

I've been through this myself and my conclusions may not be what you are looking for, but anyway...1. You can find just about any answer on the internet to every twitcher-question (visible v not visible, widespread v focal, etc.). It's just not reliable, that's why neurologists focus on what is really relevant (weakness, hyperreflexia etc).2. The subtleties of presentation pale into insignificance compared to the facts that BFS is relatively common and ALS is very rare and twitching as an isolated initial symptom even rarer.... so I can't offer any simple guideline to reassure you but please keep the above in mind, twitches of any kind are rarely anything other than twitches.GlowGreen

 

[LilTiger92]

Actually that's helpful. Thank you. Forgive my ignorance on this next question but what is hyperreflexia? I'm guessing an exaggerated reflex response? What they heck does it look like? I feel like all reflexes look kinda exaggerated!

 

[GlowGreen]

Don't even go there (because I have) Reflexes need to be assessed by someone who is qualified, I thought mine were extreme but I was told they were 'borderline slightly brisk' and almost certainly just due to anxiety (and as you will have worked out by now, there is a tiny bit of anxiety ever so rarely in the BFS community!).GlowGreen