Ask a doctor on the topic of Neurology

Muscle twitching in the right calf.

July 28, 2016 | 15,00 EUR | answered by Dr. med. Frauke Gehring

Hello,

For about 3 weeks I have been experiencing muscle twitches in my right calf. It mainly occurs on the inner side, but also on the outer side, with pulsating sensations in various locations.

I notice it more sporadically than constantly, and taking a lot of magnesium helps slightly, but only a bit.

Regarding my medical history: I had a herniated disc in L5/S1 in 2014 and again four months ago. Both times I had symptoms in that same right leg. The first herniated disc required surgery, while the second was treated with physical therapy. This greatly reduced my symptoms. During the second herniated disc episode, I experienced significant pain at times, which caused me to have a limp for about a month.

I saw a neurologist last week regarding the muscle twitches. He conducted a clinical examination without imaging (heel-to-toe walking, finger and hand strength, various reflexes, etc.). He concluded that everything was okay and that the twitches were completely harmless, benign fasciculation.

However, since the twitching is still present, I am very worried, although I tend to get worked up about things. I do not have any other symptoms, but I am currently very vigilant about everything.

Therefore, my questions: Should I really not worry about a serious illness? Is the examination sufficient? And is there a connection to the herniated discs?

Many thanks in advance!

I am 32 years old, 191 cm tall, and weigh 85 kg.

Dr. med. Frauke Gehring

Hello,

You have probably, like many other people, searched for "muscle twitching" on Google and come across ALS. It is constantly mentioned on the internet, but almost no one actually gets sick with it, only the fear of it grows enormously on the internet.

The twitching is probably due to muscular strain related to the disc herniation, as it only occurs in the calf. Therefore, and because your examination was inconspicuous, especially no muscle weakness was detected and the twitching improved with magnesium, there is absolutely no need to worry about any serious neurological disease.

Sincerely, Dr. Höllering