A fasciculation (fah SIK yoo lay shun) (or "muscle twitch") is a small, local, involuntary muscle contraction (twitching) visible under the skin arising from the spontaneous discharge of a bundle of skeletal muscle fibers. Fasciculations have a variety of causes, the majority of which are benign, but can also be due to disease of the motor neurons.
Other risk factors may include the use of anticholinergic drugs over long periods, in particular et...
more
A fasciculation (fah SIK yoo lay shun) (or "muscle twitch") is a small, local, involuntary muscle contraction (twitching) visible under the skin arising from the spontaneous discharge of a bundle of skeletal muscle fibers. Fasciculations have a variety of causes, the majority of which are benign, but can also be due to disease of the motor neurons.
Other risk factors may include the use of anticholinergic drugs over long periods, in particular ethanolamines such as Benadryl, used as an antihistamine and sleep aid, and Dramamine for nausea and motion sickness. Persons with benign fasciculation syndrome (BFS) may experience paraesthesia shortly after taking such medication; fasciculation episodes begin as the medication wears off.
Stimulants can cause fasciculations directly. These include caffeine, pseudoephedrine (Sudafed), amphetamines, and the asthma bronchodilators albuterol/salbutamol (e.g. Proventil, Combivent, Ventolin). Medications used to treat attention deficit disorder often...
less
