Muscle Twitching: Causes & Treatment of Involuntary Movements

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the causes and potential treatments for involuntary muscle twitching, also known as fasciculations. Participants explore various factors that may contribute to this phenomenon, including lifestyle choices, stress levels, and physiological responses.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant inquires about the reasons behind muscle twitching, noting occurrences around the eye, arm, and knee.
  • Another participant suggests that stimulants such as coffee, tea, and certain medications may contribute to muscle twitching, sharing personal experiences related to caffeine intake.
  • A request for scientific papers linking coffee to muscle twitching is made, indicating a search for empirical evidence.
  • One participant posits that excess energy and lack of exercise may lead to muscle twitching, sharing a personal anecdote about stress-related eye twitching.
  • Another participant theorizes that twitching may be related to blood flow issues, suggesting that veins may struggle to manage blood flow at times.
  • A participant mentions that mild twitching is often associated with stress, particularly during high-pressure situations like exams.
  • One participant claims to experience twitching without stress or stimulant consumption, referencing déjà vu as a potential indicator of mild localized seizures.
  • A later reply identifies the phenomenon as fasciculations, noting that while they can have various causes, they are often benign.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of views on the causes of muscle twitching, with some attributing it to stress and others to physiological factors or stimulant use. There is no consensus on a singular cause, and multiple competing explanations remain present in the discussion.

Contextual Notes

Some claims are based on personal experiences and anecdotal evidence rather than empirical studies. The discussion includes references to potential medical terminology and conditions, but lacks detailed scientific backing for many assertions.

Mk
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Why do sometimes my muscles twitch for no reason. It happens by your eye, it happens in your arm, why? a muscle around my knee just twitched, and I wondered why.
 
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Do you take stimulants by any chance? Coffee? Tea? Asthma inhaler? Ritalin? Adderall? Chocolate?
I don't know about you, but my eyebrows start to twitch really bad if I've had too much coffee.

Interesting fact I found while making this post: chocolate is poisonous to cats and dogs because they are unable to effectively metabolize theobromine. Just thought I would share this.
 
What papers said coffee brings up twitches ?
 
I don't know of any papers that say that, but just from common sense, it seems like an excess of energy can cause your muscles to twitch, especially if you do not exersize regularly. Also when I was really stressed two years ago my right eye had a twitch going constantly. My teacher noticed it and said that I needed to relax.
-Scott
 
i think it is due to the veins that can't hold up the blood flows at a certain moment, it may also be an excess blood concentration over a particular area.
 
Thats a good question. I think most mild twitching is due to stress. It seems like its your body's way of trying to relieve it. During exam week I find myself twitching on a regular basis. :biggrin:
 
I am very low stress, and do not consume stimulants in any form. I get deja vu a lot though, several times per day, which Zooby and Hypnogouge told me are mild localized seizures in the hippocampus.
 
What you're experiencing are called fasciculations. Fasciculations can have many causes. Most often, they're fairly benign.

Follow this link, and the link to "Benign Fasciculation Syndrome" :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fasciculation
 

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