When I first went to the neurologist I was twitching all over my entire body, about 1 every 30 seconds all day long. It was very bad in my entire face. Both eyelids, ( and I mean they would get stuck in a halfway shut position when I would blink even) My right temple area, both sides of my jaw, my lips, nose, cheeks etc.... along with random twitches throughout my body, my entire legs on both sides were really bad as well. My first neuro said," you have cervical myelopathy, I recommend and MRI of the cervical spine." Cervical myelopathy is just a general term for a diseased spine, doesn't mean anything ominous necessarily. It turned out that I do have issues with my cervical spine. I have a bulging disc, bone spurs, and an issue with my spinal cord in that area that I was likely born with. Turns out though that my first neuro and second both decided that these weren't significant enough to cause the twitching. From what I have read the MRI's are just standard procedure to check for any past or present injuries you might have sustained to your brain or spine. Have you read BFS in a nutshell? If you haven't I highly suggest reading it, it saved my sanity. I started twitching this past July. I ended up pregnant 3 months into it and have been told that there isn't any emergency and to come back after the baby is born to get MRI of brain and spine if I want. Key word if i want too. The neuros I have seen were not worried about my twitching at all and said there was no way it was ALS. Facial tics have a lot to do with stress and anxiety. I know so many people who get these and don't have BFS, although I guess the facial tics could be considered a mild form of BFS. I am not an expert, but this does sound like BFS and I am so glad for you that you aren't experiencing them all over and to the degree that most of us are. I am not saying this to disregard any concerns you have about your twitching, I am really sorry that you are twitching at all, it can be very troublesome, I just really think that you are okay. Try to relax about the MRI it's just standard. About the MRI itself, I had an open one and it was no trouble at all, but I did take some sedative just before it, just incase. It's probably a good idea if you did this as well. Good luck, let us know how it goes.Tanya
I hadn't read your story so I wasn't sure if youwere twitching everywhere else as well. I am so sorry that you are, it really stinks. The fact that you are twitching in other places just suggests to me that it is even more reason to believe that it is BFS. When I first developed this it was in my face first, then it spread also while staying in my face. It spread to where my hotspot was in my calves and knees and shins on both sides. Now my hotspot is both hands and all fingers and sometimes both feet and most of my toes. From what I have experienced and read, it seems to migrate and affect some areas for a while to a strong degree also while continuing to "pop" (as you described it) in random places throughout your body throughout the day. This describes my experience to a T. I guess your main question was about being told you needed and MRI. That strikes fear for sure, but It seems we have all been told this and it's one of the first things a neuro will start with. I have read they will even do this even if they don't really think you need one. Anyway, my right eye and right temple and right eyebrow also have consistent flair ups. Even if they aren't flared up I suffer from some kind of twitch on my face everyday from lips to nose to chin to forehead, to scalp etc... I think you get the picture. Keep us updated. Take care,Tanya
) Mary