Benign Fasciculation Syndrome Causes and Treatment 

Does this happen to anybody else?: every time I start to twitch, I would look at the area where the twitching is and it would stop, but then when I’m not looking it would start again😑

This doctor is bad ass. He's very well spoken, and intelligent.

Nobody: My muscles at rest: allow me to introduce myself

I honestly believe we are ALL anxiety stricken and we are all fine.

Omg I swear I have this! It started in my chin and my eyes. Then it went everywhere. Behind my leg, on my knee, my eyebrow, my elbow, my hand, around my abdomen, by my Cupid's bow and nose, and even the bottom of my foot! I even have the thumping in my ear! So aggravating. Oh I forgot to mention around my temples and my inner thigh. After I yawn my neck and even if I don't yawn my neck would twitch. Thank you so much for this video!

Ive had this my whole life. Its comforting to read the comments and see so many other people with it...all with the same worse case scenario ideas running through our heads.

You must be a wonderful physician because this was a fabulous presentation. Detailed and efficiently presented. 👍🏻

Oh my God please make my muscles stop twitching 😞. Nothing helps. I take 500 mg of magnesium a day. Drink 10 glasses of water a day, eat fruits and vegetables. I hate the human body so much.

Thanks Dr. Freilich for this detailed explanation of BFS. My left vastus medialis has been twitching for over two weeks and I have gone through my own process of exclusion. I'm at the point of seeing my physician to eliminate any other mitigating factors and variables. Thanks again for providing this service on the internet.

This is the most informative video on BFS I've ever seen, thank you a bunch. I wish there was more research into this condition. Even though it's "benign" it's still can be pretty debilitating at times.

Thanks for the question. BFS can be quite focal and doesn't have to be everywhere all the time. If you or other viewers are worried about particular symptoms, it's really important to see your own doctor in person, as I can only give a 'general' reply. Bw! Simon

Dear Viewers - Someone just asked a really interesting question about BFS and HIV. I am glad to say that they very sensibly removed the question themselves - and as I've said above - please don't reveal personal or privileged information on the internet and especially in this way. Apart from the fact that I can't and won't give any of you a web based opinion on an individual basis, frankly, it's really not a smart thing to publicize such information in this way. However, if there is a point to be made in general that hasn't been covered either in the video or in the comments below, then I will try and make it, here in the comments. Fasciculations in HIV are a very complex subject with a variety of causes apart from BFS. Should anyone with HIV have them, I would strongly urge you to see your local Neurologist. Its really very important to be properly checked out thoroughly by a Neurologist. Apologies that I can't go into more details about this - this subject is too lengthy and this is just not the forum for it. Wishing that person all the very best and indeed to everyone else with this condition. Simon

Is this guy a doctor, or a tailor?

I just cried watching this I can’t controlling it and it’s affecting me everyday. I wish it wasn’t in me.

This is a fantastic video because most of us Google twitching and we get ALS or MS. Follow the rabbit hole and you discover twitching can be benign. BFS. You then try to match your symptoms and rationalize what’s going on with your body. I can’t tell the doc how awesome he is for posting this video. Im 38 and I’ve been having muscle twitching in my FDI muscle in my right hand on and off for the last 2.5 years. Plus I’ve had twitching in other areas like around my knees. At times my index finger and thumb will twitch and cramp. It’s rapid fire… continuous. Also sometimes the muscle will twitch for an hour and then just stop. Other times on and off for a couple days or minutes. Feels completely random. What makes me feel better is the fact that I can close my hand, make a fist and the twitching stops. My wife can’t see a change in muscle definition and I can still use the grip strength trainers up to the 150 lbs level with no issues. Read any forums dedicated to ALS and they call say you will lose the ability to complete tasks. I’ve not seen the GP or gotten an EMG because I can still tie my shoes and button a shirt. Plus I am aware I’ve got health anxiety. It has been really very tough and my wife has been very supportive and patient. To everyone out there twitching there are lots of us out here. I’m still concerned myself about my twitching but what I’ve learned is that the longer your twitching goes on the less likely things are serious. Keep a positive mental attitude!

Like popcorn all over my body. I feel a wave like sensation over the parts that are about to twitch. Exercise can be painful.

This syndrome makes me anxious and angry

I've had these in almost every part of my body at one point or another. The ones in my chest were hard to tell if it was the skeletal muscles twitching or if I was having heart palpitations. They're painless, but pretty scary.

Quite simply, the most debilitating part of this disorder is the fear that it will turn into or that it is a sign of something so deadly as ALS. I've been to my GP and he didn't seem concerned about it. He did a strength test and said I was strong and fine. Very annoying and upsetting to have your body do this. ...and it's crazy that it actually started in my ears! I heard a crazy thumping noise. And then it started jumping about my body. Focusing on the calves. And finally...this was the BEST description I've seen ANYWHERE.

I wish I had you as a doctor, so thorough and smart

Excellent video. I developed this condition (only occurs after exercise) approx 5 years ago - lower legs writhe up and down (almost worm like motion) and twitch VERY noticeably from the top of the calf muscle to the ankles. Now 60 years old I think this is a combination of age and having suffered for the first time, extreme anxiety with low moods. More than worrying, the movements fascinate me.

Thank you for creating the video as there is so little understandable sources of information about this condition. The only comment I would make is that the symptoms you describe seem to be on the lower end of the spectrum as far as intensity and variability. As for myself when this condition began it was top to bottom, left to right, symptoms of twitching, cramping, jolting, sensory issues.....for about a year until treatment. I did not know how I was going to live with this condition given what it was doing to my body and I had no control over it. How could I not be dying given what was happening to me? Then a year of tests to find a benign condition, for which I'm eternally grateful. While the whole experience was horrendous at the start 10 years later, although still active, this condition is manageable. Every patient needs to know what BFS/PNH/CFS can be like...and that they are still going to be OK. The condition causes the anxiety and depression many times instead of the other way around as many patients are told.

This video and comments are very reassuring, I think people naturally assume the worst and become anxious which makes things worse.

Hi Kai, a very interesting question. Both restless legs syndrome and essential tremor are issues originating in brain and are associated with each other. BFS is a peripheral nerve hyperexcitability issue and so would not appear to be relatable to the other two. Wishing you all the best, Simon

I literally have this everywhere imaginable on my body. It's been bothering me since I was very young - perhaps 8 years old. Now I'm 26. I noticed stretching, like after a big yawn, drinking coffee, or not getting enough sleep, and even exercise will worsen it. It wouldn't be so concerning if it weren't for the fact that a single area on my body can twitch on and off for hours, days, or weeks, even a couple months at a time - then suddenly stop one day. Sometimes, they are what I call "soft" twitches that can be somewhat ignored, but sometimes they are very intense, strong twitches that are very visible and I can't help but to put all of my focus on it. Right now, the side of my neck has been twitching very strongly every few minutes the last couple weeks. It is extremely distracting from my job, driving, having conversations, and it is such an irritating feeling. It never hurts, just feels so weird like when someone is gently poking you but you can't stand it. Sometimes I'd rather be in pain...my only relief is grabbing, holding, massaging, or pressing down on the area that's twitching which looks very odd to a someone else, especially depending on the area that's twitching. Sometimes I can hide my strange "pressing down on twitches" habit, like if it is just my finger - I just make it look like I'm wringing my hands or something. With my neck, it's a lot harder to play off. This has been running my life for many years, but I've just been taught that twitches happen to everyone - to ignore it and that there isn't much that can be done about them. But my body has always been doing a very abnormal amount of twitiching. It can be an eyelid, near my clavical, a toe, a finger, my shoulder, the side of my leg, a spot on my tongue, inside my ears, you name it! I'm very worried it is something more sinister...Thank you for this information.

Thank gosh I thought I was the only one.

Stress is a major contributor to this, especially its accumulation over days. Thankfully I've been getting better since the symptoms broke out, slowly but surely. I've had to consider many lifestyle changes but the accumulation of stress seems to have been the number one cause. Everyone gets muscle twitches sometimes but there is a very wide spectrum of frequency and intensity, and those having a certain level of excitability may get diagnosed with BFS when there is no other disease identified. But keep in mind it is rarely a cause for worry and is usually the result of a physiological imbalance that will get better with time, and the more changes you bring to your lifestyle, the higher the chances for a quick recovery. I read many comments here with a negative outlook on that syndrome, so I thought I would balance it out with my more positive perspective. Of course, I also understand the distress that BFS can cause; I've been there myself. It's a stressful and poorly understood condition that can make you feel helpless and confused. But your body and spirit affect each other in both directions, and a positive outlook will help you tremendously. On the contrary, anyone under sufficient stress might suddenly have an outbreak of muscle twitches. Please look into both psychological and physical causes and you will get better for sure.

Bless tou Doctor Simon. This is a very good explanation. My dad died of ALS (seemed) sporadic and after a stressfull period I started to twitch in my calves. Now I know 30% of neurology because of your help. I had 3 clinical exams and no evidence of MND on the EMG and now I am studying maybe I can help others... Thanks alot

I have BFS, and had since probably around 2014. The first couple of weeks, until I thought it could be ALS, or anything else, was extremely tough, not gonna lie. But once it became obvious - with the exclusion of other, scary causes - that it isn't gonna be deteriorating, I had very little problem with it. Yes, some muscles in my body has been twitching every day in the last seven years, but after I realized that it is not going to be life threatening, I had zero anxiety about it, and did not lower my quality of life, whatsoever. I fully believe that fatigue is not a natural symptom of this, rather a mental one. I think BFS is simply a small error in the brain that mistakenly fires the muscles, but every other symptom is the result of us worrying about it. At least that is my experience.

Very useful,in support of what I had researched.Mine only started after a VERY stressful period.

Thanks, I haven't ever heard of that before

Nobody my muscle : since you never do exercise let me help you

Damnnn it’s annoying, it feels like something is under your skin twitching, constantly sometimes. Can be very irritating.

I was told I had benign fasciculation more than 30 years ago. It lessened over time, but I still get a bit now and then. I have other involuntary movements (myoclonus) at times but none of it is that bad. There's hope! Good, informative video. Thank you.

He hit the nail on the head about caffeine and stress and anxiety as I used to drink coffee and had stress and anxiety and got body jerks alot.

Very thorough overview. Thanks so much for what you do, Dr. Freilich. Glad I found your channel!

Thank god I'm not alone. I feel a great amount of relief when I read the comments. I started to have the muscle twitch since last December. That time I was in the state of anxiety and soon after, the muscle twitching started to happen frequently. Now, everyday and every freaking time my body will twitch out of nowhere. I can't tell if I'm still in the state of anxiety but the muscle twitching didn't stop and I keep having many worrying thought that I feel like I wanted to knock my head over the wall. Somebody help me😭😭😭😭

Excellent explanation. Best video I've seen on this condition.

These reviews has helped me that I don’t feel least alone. I just started getting them and have been so confused on the lack of info. or remedies to stop this. Every part of body has twitched at least once before. It impacts my sleep a lot which I should be doing but it woke me up again.

very informative !!! thank you!! i've thought i am the only one who have this weird thing

BFS Fam, wassup! I have yet to even meet other people that have the same condition as me. I'm glad to see a video talking about it, and reading the comments is definitely making me feel less alone.

Thank you! I have had this condition for 14 years and this is an excellent explanation of both symptoms and causes. I have found Lamictal to be the best course of treatment for my symptoms so I do hope that helps someone else as well.

I have had the muscles all over my body twitch mainly my right hand which is strange since my left hand is double jointed on the thumb it's not as bad same with my arms and legs and even my ears. This video helped me calm down about it and has made me feel less stressed about it now thank you for making the video it helped alot

Thank you, I have had this for 4 years now. When it flares up it scares the life out of me sometimes I can go weeks with out twitching and I will forget how horrible it can be.

This video calmed me down a bit. I'm 24 and have this condition. It's really stress inducing when it happens which is ironic since stress can cause it in the first place. I feel like I'm stressed even on holidays, dont know how to solve that. Anyone also like me?

Anxiety is very understated about just what it can do to your nervous system and mind. I believe people like myself with severe anxiety can research and see the symptoms and your mind lets it become a reality

Statins should be near the top of causation list, and the problem can continue even after stopping drugs. Useful and clearly presented information. Thanks.

Wow simply the best video on twitching in general. Im lowering my caffeine. Thanks you very much sir.

I definitely have this and started right around when i was diagnosed with auto immune disease. I have Graves and Psoriasis. I also have mild sleep apnea and have to sleep on my side to avoid choking. I have cut out most sugar and bread from diet and stay low carb. Im slender and have decent musculature, so i would say im in okay shape, but the muscle cramps and twitching are still pretty bad, especially the cramping. This condition sucks because it really hampers me being able to work out in the gym since i cramp so badly while lifting.

I'm twitching all over my body this never happened to me before

I was diagnosed with BFS/BCFS three years ago after struggling 12+ years with painful muscle nodules, severe cramps and debilitating fatigue. As I've experienced, BCFS can have a huge impact on quality of life. I've been taking Oxtellar XR for a couple years and it has helped. I've also been diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis. For me, these two conditions seem to flair up at the same time and absolutely wipe me out. I have to be prepared for the fact that I'll be immobile for 1 out of 4 days a month typically. I'm hoping that RA meds reduce the fatigue associated with RA so I better manage my energy and pain. With these conditions, you have to eat well, rest well, exercise moderately when possible and manage stress.

Wait there's a term for this? Whew, I thought only I had this lol.

Hi Mickey, great to have a question all the way from Bermuda! As with my previous responses to similar types of questions, I really can't do 'personal' responses. One of the reasons is to protect your privacy and personal medical information from being plastered across the Internet. So the first thing I'd highly recommend is, and this is for your benefit, to please delete your question. as there is way too much info in it. Secondly, I can't know how you ended up with an Endocrinologist but I would suggest in view of facial twitchs that you see a Neurologist to investigate it further before contemplating BFS which is a diagnosis of exclusion I.e once other factors or potential causes have been ruled out. Three, vitamin deficiency is blamed for way too many issues and is often an incidental thing picked up on blood tests. Usually deficiency has to be severe and present for a long time before it causes nerve problems. It needs clinical experience to determine whether a set of symptoms is relatable to a particular vitamin deficiency. If you're researching on RU-vid, beware of quacks selling various supplements. Four, tingling in part of just one toe rarely translates into a specific problem (or vitamin deficiency) but can be explored further if/when you see a Neurologist. Finally, if you're young fit and healthy, don't quit working. It's the worst thing you can do. Being at work keeps people healthy! Bw Simon

Well-presented, clear and concise. Thank you for this presentation, it has been very a particularly helpful refresher.

Looked this up as I've been getting this in my thumb recently and wondered if it was anything to be concerned about. Thanks for the info :)

Thank you for the video. I'm a 55 yr old female, and I've had BFS since I was 20. It started in my right calf muscle. They tend to happen all over my body. Legs, arms, neck...fingers. Once I had on my left shoulder for over a week. All these years later, I can go long periods without any twitching. Now within the last few days, it's been crazy again. I've been having an annoying visible one that takes up most of my upper left side of my right knee. It's been going on all night and morning. It woke me up. Like the doctor said, I think stress has brought mine back. So annoying.

Honestly, I’ve had these symptoms for around 4 and a half years and I remember clearly starting in 9th grade. I have health anxiety and you can imagine what type hell I went through when I saw the one of the primary symptoms of ALS being Fasciculations. This happens when I get anxious about ALS itself or other horrible diseases. I’m now 19 and in my first year of college. Throughout the years I’ve learn to control the anxiety from it and Right now, I do not have control. That’s why I’m here.

Great Video!! Very informative and well put together!! Just Subscribed!

I am generally healthy, yet have the condition... or symptoms of the condition. Thanks for your insight.

Almost dropped my phone when you said beating in the ear. I get this regularly. I have the twitches in my calf mainly. However, I also have them in my arms as well

It’s so annoying mentally sometimes that I wanna break something and I’ve got anger problems ... this is the worst condition I’ve ever had in my entire life

Thank you, great review!

I have been into consistent severe extreme stress since 7 years , now this has started, but mostly when i think all those past events which generate stress.

The underside of my right arm has been twitching ever since I did push-ups in the morning.

Thank you for sharing the info. I have had a cervical discectomy and have been having muscle twitching since. I have had a EMG and nerve conduction study and am awaiting results. The dr who did the NCS asked me twice if I had diabetes? I just said not that I know of?

Thank you for this video.♥️

I have watched two of your videos and they are so informative! They have helped me with what I believe is anxiety due to balance issues, causing these fasciculations that I now believe are benign! I have found, through friends a good sports oriented chiropractor who is helping me with ART. I am going to check out more of your videos, thank you!

Thanks for the great explanation @Dr Simon Freilich. I have been having these types of muscle twitches occasionally for about as long as I can remember, but within the last 2 months have they become much more prevalent. Given everything that is happening this year from Covid to civil unrest, the anxiety those events are causing, and the studies linking BFS to stress and anxiety, I think that may be what I am experiencing. I don't really have any muscle atrophy (other that what is naturally occurring from not being able to go to the gym due to covid) so it's kind of reassuring that this is likely not ALS or MS or some other more serious neurological disease.

I’ve had it happen is so many places. My upper arm, lower abs, the exact same spot on my hand, and even my face including my eyelids.

Thanks doc, good video. I have had my right index finger/thumb twitching in exactly the same way as the clip in your video for a few weeks now, and have been getting a bit worried about it. Thanks for posting this and explaining things so well.

My daughter just turned 3 and she has had all the same symptoms since a few months old . Sometimes it feels like an electric shock goes through her body. She wakes up crying in pain 8 or 9 times a night. Been to 10 doctors but they don't see it on evaluation. Some are big spams and cause her limbs to fling out to the side and some are almost internal and hard to locate. She has them in her diaphram, hands, feet, face and every inch in between. Doctors seem to have an excuse for every concern i bring up. Sometimes she just falls to her knees and can't stand up. Please let us all find relief soon

I had something similar but it was all coming from my spine I had a gonstead chiropractor look at it has gone down by a lot so hopefully that helps anyone plus I also had digestive issues and vertigo

I am in my 20s living in South Korea. I've been having this symptom on both feet and legs since a few months ago. Even though I'm taking pregabalin, there's no improvement at all. The electromyography showed no problem, but the worry and anxiety that it might be ALS bothers me so much. I know how much this symptom degrades one's quality of life, so it hurts to think of those who are suffering even worse than me. I sincerely hope that everyone suffering from this symptom is healed. * The sentences may be awkward using a translator. Thank you for your understanding. God bless you.

I been a pest control tech for 8yrs. I developed twitches in 2019. It started with my hand just like in the video. I think over exposure to the chemical created the problem. I been healthy all my life. Idk. But this is the best information iv got about my problem because my Doc don’t know diddly. He kept calling my twitches tremors. He also said it was a vitamin D deficiency. As of late, some twitches feel like stabs.

Very helpful. Thank you!

Doc Simon, thank you so much for this. After YEARS (first noticed twitches in my calves at 17 years old, I'm now 42!) of having this pretty much constantly it's great to finally understand what's going on. I don't mind the twitches as they are now just a part of my life, but it's good just to finally understand why. Mine seem to increase after exercise and can be seen through my trousers at times!! Once again, thank you :)

I have had twitches in my left lower eyelid, my calves, my knees,upper arm, sometimes my back muscles..usually when i am sitting they move.. a bit of paranoia hovers but i think this video is helpful. I don't think im stressed.. im 36..and i just want this to stop! 😊

For me is when I’m studying and the longer I study the more tired and headache I get. Most of the time I feel alright but when I’m at school I feel very exhausted near the end of it and there is always somewhere in my body a muscle twitching... it’s annoying. But by the way I do exercise and eat moderately healthy

Thanks Sabah, not yet and still thinking about getting going with one! Bw Simon

this comment section makes me so happy! i'm so glad to know i'm not alone, no one around me really takes my twitches seriously and say ill sleep it off or something. but it's not going away! i have twitches in my temple and head, and at one point i thought i had lice or something crawling in my hair bc of how frequent and strange it felt. about 3 days ago i felt one in my knee, and its super inconvenient and uncomfortable. they happen in my legs, arms, in my hands, neck, eyes, temple, jaw, elbows, feet, literally everywhere its awful. i felt one in my heart area and thought i was having heart palpitations or an irregular heartbeat, but it was just muscle twitching! i swear i can feel it in my guts sometimes! its seriously awful, i can reduce the discomfort by pressing down on the twitching area but that can be awkward to do in public. ive definitely gotten curious glances before. wish there was a universal cure lol

The muscles behind my ear would twitch only when I layed on my ear. My left eye would twitch when I need a shower. My legs twitch like crazy after a long walk in the heat. Only in the heat. Not winter. My toes twitch like crazy. My ribs would twitch. The biggest muscle on my leg would twitch. My arms would twitch

Great video. Very informative.

Thanks Dr. Freilich. I've had this syndrome most of my life, and pharmacologically, by far the most effective treatments for me have been diazepam and GABA.

If you guys had any type of Anxiety that was severe before the twitching started, then that's a different story compared to BFS. Really you just have to learn to accept the symptom and manage your anxiety. Anxiety twitching can happen even if you are using the muscle (happens to me since November) unlike BFS that the twitching usually shows up at rest. Anxiety can cause hyper stimulation. So the more you stress, the worse the symptoms. The moment you stop worrying and let your body RECOVER, the twitching will improve. Plus, those with twitching from Anxiety don't feel twitchy while they're asleep and maybe those with BFS do hence why they get insomnia. Also, BFS has no cause while with anxiety you twitch because of it. The twitching tends to get worse if you keep worrying about them. It's all about ignoring or better yet ACCEPTING the twitches which can reduce them with time. The twitches can last for years if you keep stressing yourself over them. Accept. Ignore and reduce your anxiety. That's how many people recover from the twitching.

I've had BFS for 5 yrs now. It has progressed and gotten worse and time goes on. It started in one eyelid then before I knew it all my lids were twitching and now my nose, and scalp. I also get really bad leg pain that's unbearable. I believe my daily use of benadryl had caused this condition

Well stressing out about my bills , drinking alot sugars and not enough sleep or sleeping on my arm made me freak out about the twitching thank you dude mine stopped for the mean time 🔥🔥

thanks for the info doc

both my left and right eye been twitching on and off every 20 mins for like 2 weeks now, driving me mental

Mine is probably a similar story. I started getting a persistent twitch in my left tricep. I go to the internet to self diagnose. I see ALS. I freak out. Then I start getting twitches everywhere.

Thank you!❤

Since around 1997 I have had BFS in both calfs 24 hours a day. Usually it's just a rippling feeling of both calf muscles but if I've done a lot of heavy lifting in work then night time i get severe cramps which lead to insomnia then more cramps because I've not slept. This then can lead to other health problems for me it affected my heart causing chest pains and palpitations and fainting and when I had an ECG it flagged up a LVH although it never developed into LVH it came up twice on the ECG. I knew the whole stress of working in a job I was physically struggling with (lifting 720kg every 10 minutes for 10 hours) and the lack of sleep from the calf cramps was causing the palpitations but my doctor just wasn't seeing it and just kept telling me the cramps are benign and the ECG was just a slight anomaly. This was the first time I'd been to a doctor in 8 years and had to almost demand a note to relieve me from the extreme lifting and he reluctantly written "cardio syndrome x". It's been a few years now and somehow the copy of the doctors note has gone missing in HR but I'm sticking to my guns and just flat out refusing to go back onto the heavier job even though all the heart problems feel like they have totally passed I just don't want to go through the same loop. BTW I can actually pinpoint the first time I ever felt the involuntary calf movements, it was after going to an all night rave and I dance for 8 hours..not sure if it was the dancing and not drinking enough water or maybe chemicals in the ecstasy pills. Also something I've discovered by accident ZMA (Zinc Monomethionine Aspartate, Magnesium Aspartate and Vitamin B6) can help with the feeling when your legs just can't get comfortable with the rippling and twinging when trying to sleep. sorry for the long comment just some insight from my experience.

This started at first in one of my toes. Then it slowly moved to my thighs and then it reached my face. Now I can't get good sleep because of my eyes twitching constantly.

I’ve had this for 6 years for every single day. I haven’t gone one day since 2014 without it and every specialist and neurologist that I’ve been to has no clue what to do and I’ve had so many tests done with no answers. Im perfectly healthy but I’ve had this for years. I’m sick of it and it hurts at times! No one should have to live with this!

I have this ALL THE TIME!

Just in my feet and calf muscles but it has happened for decades and other than very irritating it doesn't interfere with my life. Sometimes the irritation in my feet makes it more difficult to fall asleep.

As with all my other responses, its difficult for me (for a variety of reasons) to provide specific / personal responses. Broadly speaking, I would find it reassuring that a number of specialists have examined you and not identified anything of concern over an 18 month period of having symptoms. I mentioned in the video, that time remains the greatest discriminator and I would suggest that anyone with BFS who remains concerned about the possibility of ALS pick just one specialist to stay with and have appropriately timed follow up for 4-5 years. Usually this would be on an annual basis, unless symptoms change. This is because consistency in examination and clinical approach is very important and as highlighted in some of the responses below, symptoms can vary quite a bit in location, frequency and intensity. Hope this helps and best wishes, Simon

I think i have this :/ This is really stressful and i'm trying to just be as healthy as I can.

The hand, foot, and elbow ones are the worse, I get them in my ears as well, I got mine in middle school and I'm 19 almost 20 now

Just to share! I have been having this for the last 2 years! So Annoying and it's every single day! This happened following the steroid injection in my sacroiliac joiny 2 years ago.. at the beginning i thought doctor hit the nerve but EMG didn't show this... but I do believe he did something very wrong as my pain un the joint increased to 100% and caused me so much stress..

I'm a med student and completely lost the plot over having this which was made worse by studying some of the diseases it is associated with. Almost failed all my exams due to worry.