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Neurological Disease, RLR (Read 14183 times)
bike21
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Neurological Disease, RLR
Oct 06th, 2011, 5:26pm
 
RLR,

Lately (last couple of months), the frequency of my palpitations (flutters/skipped beats) has dramatically increased especially in the afternoon and evening hours.  Additionally, I have been experiencing some tingling sensations on the bottoms of my feet (mostly when I go running--usually about 2 or 3 miles into the run) since June.  I also went through a period of time (about 5 weeks) during the summer when I had an eye twitch that lasted all day long nearly nonstop.  

So...I have had the palpitations checked out before and have been told that they are benign and I also understand from reading posts on this forum that benign palpitations originate outside of the heart and have to do with the vagus nerve.  If memory serves me correct, you have likened benign palpitations to a benign muscle or eye twitch.

Anyway, my question is this: could the palpitations be due to some sort of neurological disorder or disease?  Something like ALS or other degenerative motor neuron disease?  Especially considering the other symptoms--tingling feet and twitching eye?  I have spoken to my primary doctor about the tingling feet and he said he isn't concerned, but I am wondering if I should push harder for a referral to a neurologist.  I would love to get your opinion and thoughts on this.  

Thank you for all of your information and insight on this forum...it is extremely helpful.

bike21

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RLR
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Re: Neurological Disease, RLR
Reply #1 - Oct 6th, 2011, 6:29pm
 
Well, you can relax. It's important to know that in instances of true neurological disease, the recognition is greatly enhanced by the company which certain symptoms keep. In other words, diseases like ALS and MND have extremely characteristic patterns. You don't have either disease, or any other neurological disease for that matter.

Paresthesia, or tingling sensations, are extremely common among persons with stress and/or anxiety. In of itself, such a manifestation literally means nothing at all.

Myokymia, or twitching of the eyelid is again an extremely common symptom among persons with anxiety and stress. People often misunderstand the nature of the sort of twitches that people affected by certain neurological disease manifest. In those instances, a clinical sign known as fasciculations arise because communication between nerve endings and tissues is degrading. This diminishing continuity causes the muscle fibers to demonstrate intermittent nervous tone or activity, resulting in undulations mostly under the skin that appear like it's bubbling underneath. These fasciculations can often be elicited by lightly and repeatedly striking the skin surface on the arms or legs with a reflex hammer, which results in nerve stimulation and the manifestation of the damaged continuity between nerve and tissue. Myokymia is entirely benign and can sometimes persist for days in the presence of fatigue or muscle tension associated with stress.

Feeling the urge to seek evaluation beyond your primary care physician is certainly an alternative that anyone can exercise, but I'm constrained to point out that the consideration in this instances smacks of more faith in your own personal interpretations above that of a licensed and trained medical doctor. Always bear in mind that the process of medical evaluation and diagnosis simply does not exist within the realm of internet research. The most that can be gained from such inquiry is the misapplication of one's intuition.

N'er challenge the swordsman, for his ability to carry it at his side is far simpler to match than his experience in using one.

You'll be fine. You do not have neurological disease.

Best regards,

Rutheford Rane, MD (ret.)

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Re: Neurological Disease, RLR
Reply #2 - Oct 7th, 2011, 1:56am
 
Have you tried magnesium supplement? Your symptoms (especially eyelid twitching) look like you might have some defficiency. Also, you might be losing magnesium through sweating during running.
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Re: Neurological Disease, RLR
Reply #3 - Oct 7th, 2011, 1:29pm
 
I have several autoimmune diseases... Graves, MS IBS, Fibromyalgia.  Not sure if the palps are related to any of them except the Graves.  I know that's a trigger.

My left foot tingles during some of these palps.
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Re: Neurological Disease, RLR
Reply #4 - Oct 7th, 2011, 2:26pm
 
Magnesium deficiency is rare and the ingestion of magnesium supplements does not treat the symptoms being expressed by the author of the posting.

Furthermore, Myokymia is not a sign of magnesium deficiency and magnesium is not excreted by way of perspiration, but rather via the kidneys and urination.

This individual does not have a magnesium deficiency.


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« Last Edit: Oct 7th, 2011, 5:33pm by RLR »  

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bike21
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Re: Neurological Disease, RLR
Reply #5 - Oct 9th, 2011, 4:31pm
 
RLR,

Thank you for the information.  I do have one follow up question.  Is there anything preventive that you have seen work for folks with benign palpitations?  I am particularly curious about alternative treatments or approaches like accupuncture or accupressure, yoga, message, etc.  I understand that there isn't anything that seems to be a magic bullet with these sorts of things, but I am wondering if there is anything proactive that I can do to try and lessen the frequency of the palpitations.

Thank you for your advice and words of encouragement...

bike
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Re: Neurological Disease, RLR
Reply #6 - Oct 9th, 2011, 6:56pm
 
You must reach the source of the anxiety and deal with it directly. This is not about medications that will make symptoms go away or other temporary interventions.

Whenever I used to see patients exhibiting these symptoms, the actual underlying cause was entirely separated in their mind from the physical effects it was producing. Just like all of these people on the forum, those patients continued to request testing to ever-increasing levels with the certainty that they would one day discover the cause and could have it treated, never to trouble them again.

The solution does not exist within acupuncture, yoga, meditation or any other relaxation techniques. Nor does the answer exist within medication or medical procedures. The answer exists within you and the problem is caused by a source of anxiety which you may or may not be able to identify, but nevertheless have not taken the proper steps to deal with it in such a manner to successfully resolve it. This is the problem for most people with your symptoms. It is the physical expression of psychological dissonance.

The forum does not discuss "treatment" for benign palpitations and other physical manifestations of significant anxiety because there isn't any. It's not about the establishment of procedures to deal with the issue, it's about overcoming the issue. Many people become trapped in a world being increasingly choreographed by measures to adjust their lives in order to deal with the palpitations and other physical effects, a world increasingly foreign to them. They become vigilant to their health, restrict their social lives their physical fitness and adventuresome nature and their outlook that was once filled with endless optimism is now severely limited in most cases. These folks feel trapped and it seems no matter what test they take to try and discover the problem, what pill they take or what restrictions they place on their lives, the problem remains relentless.

No, the answer is not any of those activities mentioned. While any of those activities may be good for your health, they do not constitute a remedy to the problem whatsoever.  The answer lies within you and any of you can be free of the problem once you have come full circle to face the issue at hand. Many people have ventured through the forum, some having recognized the direction to regain their lives and among these folks, some even do better than others. It all depends upon you and your willingness to seek out and deal with the actual problem.

Best regards and Good Heatlh
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