Ask a doctor on the topic of Neurology

Muscle twitching in the entire body for 3 weeks.

June 26, 2016 | 20,00 EUR | answered by Dr. med. Frauke Gehring

Hello. I am female and 38 years old. About a month ago, I had severe back pain, or a strong pull in the lower back that also radiated into the right leg, a little bit into the left leg as well. I also felt a certain weakness in my legs and as if my feet were "falling asleep". However, it only felt that way. Upon touch, everything was normal. I went to the family doctor. He prescribed me pain relief patches, warm baths, and back exercises. The pain actually subsided. For the past 3 weeks, I have been experiencing muscle twitches all over my body. It started on the soles of my feet. They are constant, moving around different parts of my body throughout the day, such as my fingers, face, and stomach. I am terrified of a serious illness. Evenings are the worst. What could this be? I kindly ask for your response. I have had blood tests done, and they came back okay. My iron levels are a bit low. Kind regards.

Dr. med. Frauke Gehring

Good day,

Your initially described symptoms are extremely typical for irritation of the sciatic nerves in the lower lumbar spine. The fact that everything improved with the measures taken by your primary care physician supports this theory.

The muscle twitching may not be related at all. It is often a result of magnesium or calcium deficiency. Nervousness or strong internal tension can also be a reason for this.

Of course, there are neurological disorders with this symptomatology, but they are overall extremely rare, especially at your age.

Your primary care physician should check the salts and reflexes. Also, talk to him about possible stress. Only if nothing is found here and the symptoms persist, would I recommend consulting a neurologist.

A remote diagnosis cannot be made, of course.

Warm regards, Dr. Höllering