BFS - Benign Fasciculation Syndrome

Group Admins: Paul Phoenix & LeAnne Thompson.

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It is estimated that Earth as a whole is struck by an average of more than a hundred lightning bolts every second. The odds of being struck in your lifetime is 1 in 3,000.

It is estimated the odds that a person's odds of being diagnosed with ALS in any given year is 1 to 2 in a 100,000.

Moral of the story - Story worrying about twitching and buy rubber-soled shoes

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Common symptoms of BFS are frequent muscle twitches (fasciculations or fascics), generalized fatigue, "pins and needles" sensations, migrating numbness, muscle cramping and/or spasms in the affected areas (usually the feet and calves), muscle aches and stiffness exercise intolerance, headaches, and itchiness.

Clinically some patients have mild increases in creatine kinase. Muscle biopsy may show mild neurogenic changes. Electrodiagnostic studies are clear or show fascics with normal morphology.

Often the symptoms will get worse at night, or during periods of sickness or viral infections, stress, or overexertion.

Many people experiencing these symptoms fear they may have ALS, MND or MS. A simple clinical rule is that fasciculations in relaxed muscle are never indicative of motor system disease unless there is an associated weakness, atrophy, or reflex change.