BandersnatchF
Well-known member
There are two reasons why I don't fear MS anywhere near as much as ALS. First, twitching isn't a typical symptom of MS. I should know—I have two brothers with MS. Confirmed diagnoses, and both are on medication for it (fortunately, both cases are comparatively mild at this time). They both know far more about MS than most of us because they have it. Twitching isn't typically an MS symptom. Second, MS is usually manageable. It may cause (eventual) disability and shorten your life, but not as dramatically as ALS does. Both of my brothers have had MS for over five years, one of them for over ten. You wouldn't know it unless they told you.
Twitches (fasciculations) are a sign of lower motor neuron troubles, and MS affects upper motor neurons. Spasticity and reflex changes are signs of upper motor neuron impact, so if your symptoms tend more towards them, MS should be a real consideration. When I told my GP about my family history, an MRI with contrast (good at picking up MS signs) was one of the first things he ordered. The MRI was clean, so it's unlikely I have MS (apparently, an MRI is 95% accurate in detecting MS lesions).
Twitches (fasciculations) are a sign of lower motor neuron troubles, and MS affects upper motor neurons. Spasticity and reflex changes are signs of upper motor neuron impact, so if your symptoms tend more towards them, MS should be a real consideration. When I told my GP about my family history, an MRI with contrast (good at picking up MS signs) was one of the first things he ordered. The MRI was clean, so it's unlikely I have MS (apparently, an MRI is 95% accurate in detecting MS lesions).