Muscle Twitches and Generalized Anxiety Disorder - Anxiety Message Board

Ontarian · 09-12-2003, 12:32 AM

Hello, everybody!

I have recently been diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder.

I often worry about different things, mostly diseases + I am rarely able to totally relax.

The reason that I went to seek medical help was the fact that I started getting muscle twitches all over my body..My legs and feet (especially the right leg and the right foot) twitch almost constantly. But, the twitching is not restricted to my feet and legs. I also twich in my arms, shoulders, back, buttocks, chest...Name any part of my body - it has twitched (even my private parts...sorry to be graphic). This has been going on for almost a full month now. Beside muscle twitches, I also started getting the "pins & needles" senseation (+ feeling of coldness that usually accompanies the tingling). This happens mostly in my feet, but also elsewhere.

I should mention that all these symptoms developed soon after my grandmother was diagnosed with brain cancer and I started worrying about her.

The thing is - these muscle twitches do not seem to be going away. My Dr. says that it is all anxiety-related, but I mostly get them when I am relaxed (even before I fall asleep or while I'm sleeping).

My question is: Does anybody else here experience muscle twitches as a result of their anxiety. I have read a lot about the so-called "Benign Fasciculations Syndrome". It, however, sounds a bit too weird to me that I could develop BFS at the very same time when my anxiety became more pronounced (because of my grandmother's illness).

Any info. or experiences regarding anxiety and muscle twitches will be greatly appreciated.
My main question is: Can anxiety cause your muscles to twitch all over your body even at times when you are resting?

Thank you.

Sanguine · 09-12-2003, 01:01 AM

Hi there,

I think the short answer to your question is "yes". Anxiety can cause a great number of physical symptoms that seem highly unlikely or unbelievable. I firmly believe the mind can create the very sensations that we fear, simply because we fear them.

Personally, I find that I have periodic anxiety in the form of dizziness and a sensation that my mind is sort of slowing down or retracting. My muscles tense up, I get slight heart palpitations, and I notice my breathing is more shallow. And once in a while, I get the most annoying eyelid twitching...which can last for as long as I am concerned about it. It truly is bizarre, but the mind can exacerbate the very physical sensations we feel and fear.

That said, eyelid twitching is a fairly common symptom of anxiety from what I understand, as is muscle tension in general. You might also consider taking more vitamins and watching your diet in the meantime --a lack of potassium can make fast twitch muscle cramp up and sort of flutter on its own. Bananas are a good source of potassium.

Good luck...

Ontarian · 09-12-2003, 01:05 PM

Sanguine,
thanks a lot for your reply.

I've read that eyelid, calf and thumb muscle twitches are relatively normal for people with anxiety, but what worries me insanely is that my fasciculations occur all over my body.

Strange...

carebear73 · 09-14-2003, 07:34 PM

Ontarian, I know exactly how you feel. I get twitches CONSTANTLY.. all over my body.. mostly in my legs.. sometimes after I walk a distance, if I sit down.. the back of my thighs start twitching like crazy! Then my legs feel kind of weak. I have anxiety as well.. I have been wondering about this as well.. what can be done to stop it? Even if I don't think about it , it still happens. It is rather irritating.. and scary especially when I get twitches in my chest. I have never had those before. Let me know if you hear or come up with anything.. and I will as well.. I know how you feel. Take care.

slyJohn · 09-14-2003, 08:21 PM

Ontarian, your first post could have been something I could have typed exactly. But my twitching started in my left leg; I also have a pain in my upper left quads and groin area that has been checked but still no diagnosis for the pain yet. The twitching progressed to my butt, left arm, then moved to the right side of my body and now everywhere... all over a span of several months. And then later on I began to develop those cold pin/needle like feelings in my left leg which progressed through my body as well but these feelings do not last a long time and only maybe once a week. It actually feels more like small light rain drops hitting my body at first. When I wake up in the morning I do not have any twitches but they progress throughout the day. While I do not agree with my doctor that it is just anxiety, the more I read of others having this the more I start to agree. But the thing is, my twitching occurs more often where it had originated from... my leg, just like you. I strongly think that once we find the cause of the pain in my leg that the rest of the twitching will start to subside. I have been constantly worrying about what is causing this pain for several months even after a number of tests already. I should be getting final answers though by the end of this month once I get an MRI of my leg.
Yeah chest twitches are the most annoying. I get them too and when you get them around the heart area, you tend to freak out and think it's your heart. Anyhow, try to relax Octarian. Expect the twitching to get worse but it is nothing serious, and it will go away on its own over time. I have had my twitching for about 10months by the way.