Muscle twitching often, harm or not? & bull; hello healthy

Consciously or not, almost everyone has experienced muscle twitching. The sensation you feel is usually a sudden tightening or pulling of your muscles. Most people complain of twitching of the eyelid, thumb, big toe, or calf. Twitch or also known by the term twitching is a common thing and usually goes away on its own. However, if you experience muscle twitching a lot, be careful as this could mean you are at risk for certain neurological diseases. To find out what your twitching means, take a good look at the following information.

What happens when you twitch?

Your central nervous system serves as the command and communication center in the human body. Motor neuron cells in the central nervous system form motor units. This motor unit functions to control movement and muscle contraction. Twitch occurs when the motor unit signals the muscles to contract repeatedly without control. Twitching can occur on the eyelids, fingers, arms, or calves.

Meaning and causes of twitching

There are many conditions that can cause twitching. In general, the little twitches you experience are harmless. To overcome this, you can simply stretch the muscles or use these muscles for example to walk, lift objects, or blink. Below are the various causes and meanings of frequent twitching.

• Twitching can be caused by nervousness, anxiety, or stress. Twitching is one of the ways the body reacts to these emotions. Your body will pick up on stress signals and stimulate a reaction in erratic nerves. Usually after your stress or anxiety subsides, the twitching will gradually go away on its own.
• Consuming too much caffeine like coffee or energy drinks will trigger a twitch. Caffeine is a stimulant that can have side effects. If your body is sensitive to caffeine, your muscles will react by contracting against your command.
• Deficiency of certain nutrients can make your muscles twitch uncontrollably, especially in the eyelids, calves, and hands. Usually the nutrients needed are vitamin D, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, and minerals.
• If you are twitching the large muscles in your arms, legs and torso, you are likely dehydrated. When the nerves connected to the muscles don't get enough sodium and water, they become very sensitive and can suddenly contract.
• Smoking and vaping (e-cigarette) can cause twitching due to the content of nicotine which interferes with the neurotransmitter system in the brain. Neurotransmitters are natural compounds whose job is to transmit information to nerve cells. Disruptions to neurotransmitters cause chaos in the commands your muscles receive.
• Muscles can twitch after you engage in physical activity or exercise. Usually this is because you are not warming up or stretching your muscles properly. Another possible reason for twitching after exercise is electrolyte deficiency.
• Lack of rest also risk making the muscles twitch frequently, especially in the eyelids. This is because lack of sleep and rest causes the number of neurotransmitters to be produced by the brain to become unstable so that the orders received by the muscle nerves are disrupted.

What are the signs if twitching is a sign of serious illness?

In addition to the various reasons and meanings discussed above, twitching can also be a sign of a serious neurological disease. Notice if your twitching has been going on for a while, doesn't go away, or if your muscles start to feel weak. Also keep in mind whether the muscle twitching is always the same or alternating. If the twitching occurs in the same muscle over and over and the frequency does not decrease after a long time, you should consult a doctor or medical professional and perform an examination.

Muscle twitching can be a symptom of various life-threatening diseases such as muscular dystrophy (muscular dystrophy) , Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), autoimmune disease, neuropathy, or kidney disease. Usually in the examination you will have a blood test to see electrolyte levels and thyroid function, an MRI or CT scan to check the spine or brain, and an electromyogram (EMG) to measure the electrical activity in the skeletal muscles.

How to prevent twitches?

You can prevent twitching and its various causes by maintaining a healthy, protein-rich diet; enough rest; managing stress and relaxing muscles by doing yoga or meditation; limiting consumption of coffee, energy drinks, or other sources that contain stimulants and caffeine; and quit smoking.