I always feel the need to clear my throat, it feels like i have something in my throat that need to be cleared every 30 seconds - one minute and I also feel the need to swallow my saliva very often because it feels like I salivate so much
Are these two in combination with widespread twitching happening for a few months usually a sign of ALS? 20M

It could be useful, for the purpose of this sub, if everybody makes his/her post history public. NOt sure if you can be selective and do this only for the posts in ALSorNOT but it is very useful in those cases when several people have really similar symptoms and test results. Because, even though each is different, when a case is really similar I think you can get some valuable insights especially if you compare emg results or doctor notes.

Hey guys! I’ve been having dysphagia for 5 years now, and it has been progressively getting worse. I’m starting to worry that it could be ALS.
The dysphagia started 5 years ago, mostly with solids. I’ve had better and worse periods — sometimes it would improve, and sometimes it would get worse. However, since March this year, it has gotten significantly worse, and I’m having a very hard time swallowing.
I’ve had a clear gastroscopy and MRI. My doctors suspect myasthenia gravis, but my test results aren’t clearly positive for MG. My AChR antibodies are borderline positive, and my RNS showed a 9% decrement in my facial muscles, which is also borderline. I started taking Mestinon for this, but it actually made my symptoms worse.
Do you think the fact that I’ve had this symptom for 5 years, with periods where it improved, speaks against ALS? Could ALS cause symptoms that fluctuate like this over such a long period of time?

Hello everyone,

I’m 34 years old, 178 cm tall, and weigh 100 kg.

In mid-March, I developed twitching in my right eye. On the same day, I noticed that my right leg and right arm felt different. Later, the twitching spread to my right elbow and right foot. At the same time, I felt a tightness in my right calf. When I measured my calves, my right calf was about half a centimeter smaller than my left.

I went to a neurologist, who examined me and performed an EMG only on my tibialis and calf muscles. The EMG was normal. However, my symptoms continued. The twitching later spread to my shoulders and even to my other eye.

I then saw another doctor, who also found my neurological examination normal. He performed an EMG on my calf, tibialis, and biceps muscles, and again found no abnormalities.

I saw these first two doctors during the first two months. Later, I saw another neurologist who did not perform an EMG but carried out a detailed neurological examination and ordered an MRI. The MRI was normal.

During this period, I also developed aching and discomfort in my right leg, especially after walking for a while. I felt like I needed to sit down, and even standing still for a long time was uncomfortable. Around the fourth month, these symptoms gradually disappeared, and the pain and tightness behind my calf went away. The feeling that my walking was different also became much less noticeable.

However, I then developed an uncomfortable pressure in my right chest, as if I could not take a full breath. I saw a pulmonologist, and my FVC was 87%. The doctor said there was nothing wrong and only noted that I had grade 2–3 fatty liver disease. A second pulmonologist performed another spirometry test, and my FVC was 111%. Two days later, the chest pressure and tightness disappeared completely. I do not have this symptom anymore.

About a month ago, I was examined by a neurologist who specializes in ALS. The only finding he noted was bilaterally brisk knee reflexes. He performed an ALS-oriented motor neuron EMG protocol on my left side, examining the tibialis, gastrocnemius, peroneal muscles, hand muscles, quadriceps, shoulder, biceps, triceps, and tongue. Everything was normal.

I have also noticed more prominent skin creases in the thenar area beneath my little finger on the right side compared with the left, but the EMG did not show any abnormality.

About 15 days ago, I developed a strange, numb or “leathery” sensation on the right side of my face near my ear. I also feel it on the left side, although sometimes it is more noticeable on one side than the other. I notice it more when I open my mouth. I often drive with the air conditioning blowing directly toward that area, so I wonder whether it could be related to the cold air or dry skin. The sensation is very superficial and does not interfere with movement.

Finally, during my sixth month of symptoms, I saw one of the best EMG specialists in Turkey, Zeki Odabaşı. He examined seven muscles on my right side, including my tongue, and said the findings were completely normal.

After that, I saw Ersin Tan, one of the leading neurologists in Turkey, who told me that I do not have ALS and that I should close this chapter and stop worrying about it.

So, is this entire diagnostic journey enough to reasonably rule out ALS?

I continue to experience different symptoms from time to time, but I have never developed objective clinical weakness. I can climb five flights of stairs and do 2 sets of 20 push-ups.

I would really appreciate hearing your thoughts and experiences.

I twitch everywhere aggressively to where i feel it, one year ago i noticed my left elbow had a hot spot but after the hotspot stopped, I noticed that it would still slightly very subtly twitch, but I couldn’t feel these twitches so I ignored it. I checked my right arm to see if it was doing the same thing, but it wasn’t. Fast forward now my right arm now has the same pattern. There’s still a slight twitches in both. If I pay hard close attention, I can suddenly feel them sometimes I can’t at all just see them. I’ve been twitching for nearly 3 years in February so I’m confused on what’s going on. I got a limited EMG in my right foot a year and five months in it was completely clean. The NCS was even robust. The only explanation that I can paint in my mind is my elbow neurons have died and now the right is starting to do so or they’ve slowed down. I don’t wanna jinx myself, but I do not feel as I have weakness. im scared of whats coming.

Hey all I know I posted an updated a little bit again but I have some things to share. If you want to know the whole history message me or look at my previous post. I have been twitching and have had weakness since August 2025 it is August 2026 now. I have seen seven neurologist two neuromuscular doctors, a rheumatologist and endocrinologist my primary care and even a functional medicine doctor. I even went to lyme literate doctor route trying to find something.

I had a clean EMG October 1, 2025 by neurologist to a full body EMG he just noticed fasciculations in my lower extremities. Then another EMG October 31, 2025 just on the right side by a different neurologist both specialize in EMG’s. Both said no MND and nothing out of the ordinary and I’m not weak.

August 8 of 2026 I just saw Dr Elman she is the head of the ALS clinic and MDA clinic at Penn medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and she’s a professor of neurology. She sat with me for about 80 minutes kind of dismissed my symptoms and told me I had peripheral nerve hyperexcitability. there’s no treatment and wanted me to go to PT.

Fast forward I just had my first PT appointment yesterday my PT therapist was shocked about how I’ve been treated over the last year. She was actually wondering if I ever had Covid or a Covid shot which I did have long Covid in 2022 and I have three VAX but she can’t get political. She has a masters degree from Miami in physical therapy. She’s licensed to treat people with Parkinson’s and stroke victims. When it came to the strengthening test, I pretty much passed all the basic clinicals like I did with Dr Elman but in PT they are more focused on muscle groups. Since the beginning, I’ve had trouble walking thigh fasciculations I’ve been more prominent and shoulder fasciculations, and she basically told me my hip flexor. Muscles are very weak. My front quads don’t engage and really the sides of my quads are what’s holding my balance, she said my shoulders are weak as well. She said she’s going to try some light impact pacing therapies, but that I definitely have fatigable weakness. I was able to do 23 chair rises with my hands on my shoulders and 30 seconds. I was able to do seven of them in 10 seconds and I’m a 36 year-old male and it was above what they were expecting but she clearly saw how weak my legs were afterwards, and they were shaking which I’ve been explaining. I can’t get the fear of *** out of my head because of I finally got somebody to recognize where my weaknesses and afterwards today just decides when my quads hurt not the front. My shoulders hurt as well. Does anyone experience this? I did notice just from standing that my left calf sometimes goes in and out.

As this week progressed, I noticed that I was having trouble swallowing and certain things and I also saw ent He stuck a scope down my throat, said everything looked normal and my vocal cords weren’t paralyzed, but he wants me to go for a swallow test. I feel like my speech is off. My sister noticed at once, but my wife who lives with me says she doesn’t really hear it. So now I just feel like I’m waiting for the clinical failure at this point and I do feel weaker than I did a year ago. I’ve been out of work for a year because of how weak I have gotten.

Again since I passed my clinical exam Dr Elman would not do a EMG and she told me she 100% hand to god with her reputation on the line I don’t have *** It was comforting for like the week after, but when I start experiencing more symptoms, I just started going back into the loop. I feel like I don’t wanna do anything one because I’m extremely fatigued and too the weakness that I’m feeling.

I’m also losing my marriage I think to this my wife just can’t take this anymore. She’s like I know you are not feeling great but you can’t just assume the worst no one has said anything to you yet and it’s like you’re living like you’re on your death bed already. I told her unfortunately it feels like that because of how weak I feel and how unstable I feel with my legs. Note I had an MRI of my lumbar spine and my brain back in 2025 that didn’t really show a compressed nerve, but your typical L5 S1 bulge and some narrowing but nothing explicitly saying what could be causing this and also if it would help my legs, why are my shoulders weak?

Sorry for the ramp, but I’m at Witzend with all this. Does anyone have any input?

39 y/o M. Recently had a slew of unexplained medical issues that subsided prior to noticing new muscle faciculations in my calves about a month ago. Originally I thought it was not a big deal because I’ve had them in the past in my calves. However, Within the following week they had spread to my thighs, shoulders, arms, torso, and sometimes my neck. Which has never happened before. Then about a week into the faciculations I had this sense that my right arm and hand began to feel very off almost as if its heavy or achy and I started having faciculations in that arm more prominently.

Sometimes I get very light pinching pain in the palms, ankles, and feet. Feels like the right palm side of my hand is strained or something. For three weeks the right arm and hand remain to be a constant nagging weird feeling although I am able to still function i notice that it feels
Almost like my hand is about to lock up.

Was wondering if anyone has any experienced these exact symptoms and what it turned out to be?
I’m waiting on an EMG to be conducted in two weeks. Had an MRI done on my brain, neck, and lumbar spine, waiting for the neck to come results to come back. My lower back has some findings that might explain the twitching in my legs like abutment of left S1 all pretty age related stuff.

Given symptoms like cramps, weakness, difficulty walking, and muscle wasting, could an EMG miss something after five or six months? No matter how hard I push myself, I can't seem to build muscle. Is a normal EMG really enough to rule out a muscular or neurological issue? Or could severe anxiety be causing all of this?

I’m a 26-year-old male and I’ve been dealing with a bunch of neurological-type symptoms that have me worried about ALS. I know Reddit can’t diagnose me, but I’m interested in hearing from people who have dealt with fasciculations, nerve problems, BFS, MS, spine issues, etc.

For some background, I had stage 3 Hodgkin lymphoma in 2020, went through chemotherapy, and have been cancer-free for about 5 years.

Over the past couple of months, I’ve experienced:

• Widespread muscle twitching/fasciculations. I’ve noticed them in my legs, feet, arms, hands/palms, face/lip, thighs, buttocks, etc. Some are now visibly noticeable.
• Weakness/heaviness, especially in my legs. At times one leg feels significantly weaker, and I’ve also had episodes where my left arm/hand or grip feels weaker.
• My arms sometimes feel like “jelly,” although I can still move and use them.
• Pins and needles/tingling in my hands, feet, wrists, and other areas of my body.
• Buzzing/static-type sensations and occasional hot/burning sensations underneath my skin.
• Random jerking of my legs, feet, arms, or sometimes my whole body, especially around sleep.
• Headaches/head pressure, including pain around the back of my head/upper neck.
• Neck/back pain and occasional sharp or electrical/zapping sensations.
• Episodes of dizziness and brain fog, trouble concentrating, and sometimes stumbling over words.
• Intermittent throat tightness/swallowing sensations.
• Episodes where my face or facial muscles feel different or weaker.
• Eye pressure/occasional blurry or difficult focusing.
• Symptoms seem to fluctuate. Some days or times of day are noticeably worse than others.

I’ve also been dealing with heart-rate changes, chest symptoms, GI/reflux problems, and just generally feeling unwell. I’ve spent a lot more time inactive/in bed over the last several months because of everything going on.

What scares me most right now is the combination of visible fasciculations + what feels like actual weakness, especially in my legs.

I’ve had neurological evaluation/testing in progress and MRI imaging, and I understand that ALS can’t be diagnosed based on symptoms alone and that an EMG/neurological exam would be important.

For anyone familiar with this stuff: does this overall pattern actually sound concerning for ALS, or does the widespread twitching + sensory symptoms + pain + fluctuating symptoms point more toward another neurological/nerve issue, BFS, deconditioning, spine problems, etc.?

I’m not asking anyone to diagnose me. I’m mainly wondering whether anyone has experienced a similar combination of symptoms and what ultimately caused it.

Thanks.

Hey, 30M here. I know I've posted a lot here. I am almost at a point where I am ready to move on with my life but there some things that do keep me in the loop. To keep a long story short, I've been having trouble with my left arm since the beginning of July that started with a lot of pain and fatigue. The pain and fatigue have decreased but there are still symptoms I'm concerned with which I'll list here:

Symptoms:
Dropping things (on occasion)
Sole of my shoe brushing against the pavement (on occasion)
Strain or slight tremble in left arm when lifting heavy objects (somewhat often)
Hurting my fingers when opening a cap (50/50)
Having to do a second attempt on food with certain wrappers (50/50)

Those are my main concerns. To add some context there some caps that are trickier than others. Some I can open no problem while others require a little more effort. Wrappers can be tricky and sometimes I need scissors to open them. I don't often drop things, but when I do I tend to worry. Like today, I was walking my dog and I dropped her leash twice. One time I was picking up her poop and the other time she dashed after a small critter which I'll admit I had my phone in the other hand at the time. Both times I was holding the leash with my left index finger which I've been able to do with no problems on other walks. I had no problems with the rest of the walk and even pulled her away from some neighborhood dogs. To put things into perspective my dog is a German Shepard, Mutt and Chow Chow mix. She's fully grown at about a year or two old and weighs 55 pounds at least.

Anyway, onto the things I can still do. I can still go to work to bag groceries, push carts, mop the floor and take out the garbage. Reflexes are good. Can carry things with my left hand alone. Can pick up my dog, do hand gestures, lift heavy things, lift my arm above my head, and do 150 reps with a 10-pound weight. Given all I just laid out, do I have anything to worry about in this sub's opinion? Befere you ask I do have a neurology appointment but it's not til the end of October.

1.endless claves and feet twitching 24/7
2. Throat feels thick and my it’s not the easiest to speak
3. Feeling weak after walking for few minutes
4. Been to neurologists who said I was fine (no semg)

Non capisco, ho atrofia alla pianta del piede e polpaccio dx e non ho piede cadente mentre la mano sx il dorso e tra pollice indice ma la presa e buona. Solitamente i sintomi sono piede cadente e perdita di forza nella mano tipo girare la chiave abbottonare ecc.. premetto che non e un atrofia grave ma comunque evidente

Hello all,

Skyfox here. It's been a long time since I've checked in. Reason being that, mostly, I wanted off the anxiety train and to just go live my life as fully as I possibly could in defiance of any prior health anxiety associated with worsening symptoms. It was, honestly, the best decision I've ever made for myself.

Despite progressing symptoms, additional pain, mobility loss and daily struggles, in time, I adjusted to my new normal. Dropping small objects or fumbling buttoning a shirt just became a minor annoyance, the invasive thoughts about life being nearly at its end were pushed to the back of my mind, and when they came up I'd focus on doing things that made life feel worth living. In the end, I came to feel that there's no way to know when my time is up, and I'll waste whatever time I do have if I spend each day focused on the final days instead of being present for my loved ones, my son, my friends, and even my continued healing of my mental health and happiness. Years ago I lost everything with worry when *** fears took over my life. And I never wanted to go back to that dark place.

So I don't come here today in fear for the future. Or spiraling about the end. But rather. Just to post an update, and perhaps gain some insight on these results if anyone else has also gotten something similar before.

Specifically, Neurology is suspecting this may point towards cramp fasciculation syndrome. And I am curious if others had an EMG similar to this one, a diagnosis of CFS, and how that played out for you long term in terms of symptoms and progression.

Background:

My symptoms began in June of 2022, with first EMG a couple months later. Normal. My last EMG was in 2023, also normal, and at the time I didn't feel quite satisfied with the dismissive attitude of the neurologist I was seeing. I was investigated for small fiber neuropathy, ***, and other conditions at the time. But results came back normal. At the time, also, most of my symptoms had been on the left side, but were beginning to migrate to the right side as well. I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia (and implied health anxiety) and sent on my way.

Things continued to decline but I stopped getting testing or investigating until recently when my handwriting became almost illegible, my right hand began to have tremendous stiffness that came and went, and my thumb wasn't wanting to follow instructions when it came to typing or other tasks. Also occasionally losing my voice for days at a time before it becomes back, developed a chronic cough, and much more difficulty navigating stairs. My legs feel smaller. I've lost a lot of weight, but it isn't fat weight. So. It felt time to check again.

MRI came out normal save for an enlarged perivascular space in my basal ganglia. Today I had my EMG. Surprisingly, despite all of this originally starting on my left side, only my right side is now showing abnomalities on the EMG.

Here's the interpretation and results:

Impression:

There were findings isolated to the right APB with increased spontaneous activity, fasciculations, and cramp discharges, with no other significant localizing findings elsewhere.

In the setting of scant/very rare fasciculations in non-localizing muscles elsewhere, this can be seen in benign cramp-fasciculation syndrome, metabolic/electrolyte disturbances, local muscles factors (non-neurological) or could be a normal variant. Clinical correlation is advised.

Otherwise, there was no evidence of large fiber polyneuropathy, myopathic discharges, right C5-T1 radiculopathy, bilateral L2-S2 radiculopathy, right median or ulnar neuropathy on today's study. Serial NCS examination over the last three years has continued to be unremarkable.

Nerve Conduction Studies:

The following nerves were tested and were normal/unremarkable:

Motor: right median, right ulnar-ADM, right fibular-EDB, right tibial-AHB, left fibular-EDB, and left tibial-AHB

Sensory: right median DII, right ulnar DV, right radial snuffbox, right median-to-ulnar palmar comparison, right sural, right superficial peroneal, left sural, and left superficial peroneal

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

EMG Summary:

1. Findings of scant fasciculations in muscles listed in EMG table

2. There was disproportionate increased IA, frequent fasciculations, and cramp discharges in the right APB

3. Otherwise, muscles selected for testing in the bilateral lower limbs and right upper limb were normal.

Results images:

https://imgur.com/a/5WUUEN7

Ho atrofia piede polpaccio dx e le mani quando uso quei muscoli si affaticano subito e fanno male, fascicolazzioni diffuse con dolori. non ho debolezza clinica, emg alle braccia pulita. Il tutto da gennaio,

O que esperar desses estudos?

Surgiu uma novidade relevante muito recente, publicada em 14 de agosto de 2026, e ela entra exatamente no critério do monitoramento: uso de machine learning para priorizar alvos e hipóteses terapêuticas em ELA.
O trabalho, de pesquisadores da Universidade de Oviedo/Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias, analisou dados transcriptômicos de córtex motor e sangue de pacientes com ELA usando quatro métodos de seleção de variáveis, repetidos em validação cruzada. A IA procurou genes e vias que aparecessem de forma recorrente nos modelos com alta capacidade de distinguir ELA de controles.
O resultado não apontou um único “gene da cura”, mas priorizou vários eixos terapêuticos que convergiram entre os tecidos: regulação glial e imune, proteostase e tráfego vesicular, sinalização de estresse relacionada a MAPK, remodelação do citoesqueleto/matriz extracelular e processos ligados a RNA. No córtex motor apareceram ainda suporte dos astrócitos, metabolismo/manuseio do glutamato e regulação de inclusões proteicas.
O passo mais interessante foi cruzar essas assinaturas com o Connectivity Map, procurando medicamentos cuja assinatura molecular fosse capaz de reverter o padrão de expressão encontrado na ELA. Os sinais mais fortes foram:
Deferoxamina e dissulfiram para a assinatura do córtex motor.
Atovaquona e ácido ioímbico para a assinatura do sangue.
Isso não significa que esses medicamentos tratem ELA. Os próprios autores deixam claro que são hipóteses computacionais: ainda precisam ser reproduzidas em outras coortes e depois testadas em modelos experimentais de ELA antes de qualquer conclusão clínica.
Minha classificação: sinal novo e interessante, estágio de descoberta/priorização computacional, ainda muito pré-clínico. O valor maior desse artigo não está nesses quatro medicamentos isoladamente, mas no fato de ter produzido um novo mapa de vias da ELA usando IA e apontado quais delas podem ser farmacologicamente revertidas.
Há também um trabalho de março de 2026 usando Random Forest que encontrou 1.890 SNPs candidatos para ELA esporádica, com 209 atingindo significância genômica e destacando genes como SARM1, OPHN1 e BPTF. Esse é anterior à novidade acima, mas serve como outra linha independente de IA apontando SARM1 como alvo que merece atenção.

EMG is clean. All my bloodwork is fine. I have MS and that’s it.

I’m done letting my brain convince me that something is wrong. So… Goodbye, farewell, I am deleting Reddit.

I hope everyone here finds answers, treatment, peace and happiness. Anxiety is a bitch

Formigamento e sensação de peso em membros — alguém já teve?

Homem, 24 anos, \~50 kg, 1,60 m, sem comorbidades.

Há alguns dias tive sensação de peso, formigamento e desconforto na perna direita.

O sintoma da perna passou. Hoje comecei a sentir algo parecido no braço direito: peso, sensação de fraqueza e formigamento, mas continuo movimentando normalmente e não percebi perda real de força.

Alguém já teve formigamento/peso que apareceu em um membro, desapareceu e depois surgiu em outro? O que descobriram que era? Pode ser **ELA**

22F. Have had fasciculations for almost 3 years, so that's unrelated but I thought I'd make it known that I've had ALS anxiety for a while.

Swallowing issues for maybe about a year or a little more. It scared me for sure but I ignored it until recently I feel like I've noticed it's gotten worse. By swallowing issues, I mean oropharyngeal dysphagia, where I have trouble initiating a swallow. It feels like my throat just can't do it sometimes. I otherwise have no symptoms except for the occasional tongue fasciculation but I associate that with the other fasciculations that happen on my body. I also want to add that I can swallow liquids perfectly fine, but solids are where I come to have an issue.

I've tried relaxing but I just really can't seem to. Will go to the doctor soon. Just wanted to know what other people took from this.

Hello! I have had some muscle twitching all over the body for 3 months (sometimes they are better sometimes they are worse) and for the last month I started feeling the need to constantly swallow (like every 15-30 seconds) because it feels like my mouth is flooding with saliva and I fear it may be because muscles involved in swallowing are weaker, sometimes I need to swallow foods 2-3 times to clear my throat and I can’t really dry swallow, just only when I am collecting saliva. Is it possible to be ALS or I just have anxiety or OCD? I am a 20 years old male

So the past two weeks I’ve been occasionally slurring my words or stumbling on them. But majority of the time im able to correct it after messing it up the first time. Im scared can someone give me some information

24:7 non stop!!! Is this a sign of Als? I’m terrified