TWITCHING

What is the Definition of Twitching?

Words

Twitching is the action and effect of twitching (irritating, exasperating, causing a temporary and sudden contraction in a tissue of a contractile nature). In the physical sense, twitching is usually a spontaneous response to a stimulus. For example: “When he received the puncture, he could not avoid the twitching of his hands”, “Despite the doctors’ tests, no twitching was detected in the patient”.

Muscle twitching, also known as muscle faciculation, is a type of sudden, fine movement or contraction that can occur in a small part of a muscle. Muscle twitching is usually local; in other words, it occurs in well-defined areas, such as the thumb, eyelids or calves, and the reason for its appearance is that a group of muscles containing a single nerve filament or fiber goes out of control.

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In most cases, muscle twitching occurs without the subject noticing it; On the other hand, it is common to notice them when they are repeated with a certain frequency, or when they become evident to other people. The origin of this phenomenon is neurological, and the causes are usually anxiety or stress. However, muscle faciculations can also appear to show certain disorders in the brain as a result of a dietary deficiency, lack of vitamin B12, excessive physical exercise, drug use or as a side effect of the intake of certain medications, such as such as estrogens, corticosteroids, or diuretics.

There are those who claim that muscle faciculations occur mainly when the temperature changes abruptly, but this should not minimize the probability that they respond to neurological disorders, nor the consequences that not treating them in time may have.

Among the most common symptoms of muscle twitching as a sign of neurological problems are the following: unusual weakness, muscle atrophy (especially of the spinal cord), muscular dystrophy (characterized by loss of tissue), compression of a nerve disc belonging to the spinal cord, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease), acute stage of poliomyelitis or myopathy.

It is highly recommended to go to a doctor when muscle twitching occurs with some frequency and, as in all cases, not to be satisfied with the information found on the Internet to make a diagnosis, since the opinion of a professional is necessary, of someone capable of contrasting symptoms and detecting anomalies that exceed the limits of a guideline article.

The most common use of the term, however, is related to a state of nervousness and tension. The tension refers to a context where fights are frequent and discussions and conflict abound : “The government, with the declarations of officials, contributes to the climate of tension”, “Since Pérez took over as coach, the club has lived in a permanent tension”, “I am tired of the tension that exists in this country: everything seems to be a reason for confrontation”.

The notion of tension is common in politics, which is the exercise of power to resolve conflicts. If the government or the leaders of a country do not seek harmony with the opposition sectors, they contribute to the increase in tension and, in turn, find obstacles to governing.

The way to avoid tension is to seek consensus, with decisions made based on the agreement of the majority but trying to minimize the level of conflict with the minority. Consensus makes it possible to calm the opposition, preventing tension from reaching and a clash being reached for each position found.

TWITCHING