Question

Unlike some people with ME, I don’t have a big problem with muscle pain. But I do get muscle twitching, especially when I’m tired or going through a ‘bad patch’. The twitching not only affects the big muscles in my arms and legs – it sometimes affects muscles on the face and makes my eyelids twitch as well! Is this a recognized problem in ME? And is there anything I can do to relieve it?

Answer

Muscle twitchings, which are also known as fasciculations, are an interesting and quite common muscle symptom in ME/CFS.

Visible twitching can affect muscles in various parts of the body – including both large and small muscle groups. When the small eyelid muscles are affected, it is known as blepharospasm.

Some people report that muscle twitching is more noticable when they are feeling very fatigued or unwell, are anxious, or not sleeping well – but this isn’t always the case.

If this is a new symptom that hasn’t been mentioned to your doctor before please do so now – because it could be an indication that you have another medical or muscle problem.

I’m afraid there are no easy solutions when it comes to drug treatment – although there are drugs that can tried if symptoms are more severe.

It’s also worth having your drug use reviewed by your doctor or pharmacist because there are stimulant drugs (e.g some types of asthma inhaler) that can cause this type of muscle symptom as a side-effect. Too much caffeine can also be a factor – so it’s worth reducing your caffeine intake in coffee, tea, etc.

Although there are anecdotal reports regarding various supplements, none of them are of proven value. However, it may be worth trying a magnesium supplement because magnesium deficiency has been linked to this problem. Ask your pharmacist for a reliable product.

• Please let us know if you have muscle twitching with ME/CFS and have found something that helps.

See Also: Symptom: Tremor, Symptoms: Myoclonic Jerks

More Information: You can find additional information on muscle twitching and other symptoms in our A-Z of Symptom Management leaflet, available to download from the Free Literature.