Why Is My Muscle Twitching?
Ever just relaxed and then felt one of your muscles start twitching on its own? It’s like it’s got a mind of its own!
Muscle twitching, or also commonly called muscle fasciculation, is when small muscle contractions happen in the body. They can sometimes be uncomfortable and irritating, especially if they occur for prolonged periods of time – so it’s best to try and determine a potential cause for your muscles spasming.
Our muscles are made up of fibres that our nerves control, and stimulation or damage to a nerve may cause the muscle fibres to twitch.
So what causes muscle twitching?
Muscle twitching can be caused by a number of conditions. Minor muscle twitching that is not frequent is not usually serious and can be cause by lifestyle-related factors. For more sever muscle twitching, there can however be more serious conditions at play.
Common Causes:
- Excessive physical activity has built up lactic acid in the muscles during exercise
- Muscular fatigue or electrolyte imbalance/loss
- Stress and anxiety
- Not getting enough sleep
- Having too much caffeine and other stimulants
- Deficiencies of certain nutrients causing muscle spasms (common types of nutritional deficiencies can include vitamin D, vitamin B, and calcium)
- Dehydration
- Nicotine and other tobacco products
- Irritation around the eye (for eye-specific muscle spasms)
- Adverse reactions to certain medications
These common causes of muscle spasms are usually minor conditions that are easily resolve (Healthline, 2016)
What are the more serious conditions that can cause muscle twitching?
- Pinched spinal nerve
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
- Isaacs’ syndrome
- Lupus
- Multiple sclerosis
If you have any ongoing concerns regarding any muscle twitching or spasming, it’s always best to contact your trusted local physician. Alternatively, raise your concern with us at your next appointment to talk to Dr Aidan about your queries.
How can I prevent muscle spasms?
Nutritional Deficiencies – Talk to a Physician
Have ongoing muscle spasms and can’t find relief from drinking lots of water and resting? It may be time to look at other health factors – including diet.
Nutrition plays an important role in keeping nerves and muscles healthy. Important vitamins and minerals that are deficient can have direct impacts on your overall and long-term health and wellbeing.
Our wonderful Naturopath at Yeronga Chiropractic, Melissa, is well versed in nutritional deficiencies and disorders of metabolism and the digestive system which affect the absorption of these nutrients.
Sleep Plays an Important Role
Make sure you are getting enough sleep. Brain chemicals, or neurotransmitters, play a role in transmitting information from the brain to the nerves that control muscle contraction.
Sleep deprivation may affect how neurotransmitter receptors work. This means excess neurotransmitters may build up in the brain.
The impact that a lack of sleep has on neurotransmitters function may lead to muscle twitching (Medical News Today, 2019).
Reflect on Your Lifestyle
From your daily caffeine intake to how often you exercise, to what medications you take to how stressed or anxious you may be, it’s important to regularly reflect on your health and wellbeing. Not only is self-awareness an important resource in detecting and imbalances in your mental and physical health but understanding how your body reacts to certain lifestyle factors and environmental impacts can benefit your short- and long-term health.
A few easy tips to follow on a regular basis can be:
- Get plenty of sleep
- Exercise moderately, with proper warmups and cooldowns
- Reduce your caffeine intake
- Avoid or manage your stress
- Stay hydrated
- Eat a more healthful and balanced diet
How We Can Help!
At Yeronga Chiropractic, Dr Aidan McGuigan sees a range of patients who indulge in all types of activities. From professional athletes to corporate executives, Dr Aidan has over 21 years of experience treating patients and issues with the function of the neuromusculoskeletal system.
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