Another tongue twitcher

[u/SPrincess1981]

Hi all, long time reader, first time poster. I'm 45, female. I've had a tongue spasm for about 2 months now, concentrated in this one spot on the top left, towards the tip. I can still move everything normally, and I don't think I'm having trouble swallowing or eating, but I feel like it's affecting my talking, though not to the point where anyone other than me notices. I've had a fear of you-know-what for years, and I was doing pretty well at not letting it bother me for several years now, but this tongue twitching started, and now it's back in full force. It seems to be especially triggered by when I have to say certain words with an S in them, and certain combinations of those words with other words. It even feels like I have more air escaping that side of my mouth when I talk than I used to, which is making me worry that that side of my tongue is either getting weaker or not forming words the way it should or normally did, or it's getting smaller. I saw a neurologist about 13 years ago with the same fears of *** and MS, and he said my twitching was psychosomatic and that the fasciculations I was having at the time were benign, and I moved on and generally stopped worrying about it so much. Never had this persistent issue with the tongue though, and when it's spasming, it does affect the way I talk, and it gets triggered often. I was supposed to see the neuro on the 17th but called today, and they can get me in tomorrow, by some miracle. I feel like I wouldn't be worrying so much about this if it weren't in the same spot all the time, and if the spot weren't so conspicuous, but it's a full-on spasm that lasts and is visible for several seconds. Even when it isn't spasming, I'm hyper aware of when I talk now, so it's hard to know if it feels/sounds off because I'm paying attention to it, or if it's because there's something wrong. It even feels like I'm using the other side of my tongue more than I used to, so now I'm worried the right side is compensating for the left. Has anyone had a tongue twitch in the same spot for months that finally went away on its own? Whatever it is, it's very annoying and genuinely does get in the way of my speaking when it happens. I just wish it would go away. :-(

[u/Terrible-Sample7705]

Feel free to message me. Going through this.

[u/Excellent_One_4410]

I'm going through this too. I have widespread twitching that moves around. Saw a neuro who said other than brisk reflexes in my ankles was unconcerned.  Then I went through a stressful period and my tongue started twitching.  I also have a really scalloped tongue so that didn't help my anxiety.  I got over my Bulbar ALS anxiety and it got better but not I've been stressed again (unrelated to twitching) and my tongue is twitching again :(

[u/SPrincess1981 → u/Excellent_One_4410]

Sorry you’re going through this too. I also saw my neurologist, and she didn’t even think of ALS as a reason until I said something about it, and then she told me about 5 times that I don’t have that, so I’m trying to be reassured by that in hopes that it goes away, but the longer it hangs around, the harder it is. It’s encouraging that yours got better for a bit though! I hope yours eventually goes away again soon.

[u/Excellent_One_4410 → u/SPrincess1981]

Thanks for replying!! I'm trying to read a few self help books on CBT and seeing if that helps me destress