[siljie]

This is something that I've wondered about since I was 9 or 10 and I think I might have some kind of malfunction with my nerves or something that's causing it. It's not a threat, not that I think anyway, it just irks me and is quite embarrassing at times--I'd just like to know if anyone has any advice on it. I've done quite a bit of research and none of the conditions I've studied seem to match mine smack-dab.

On the whole left side of my body--especially my face--I have this strange twitching. It's weird because with my left I can twitch it on my own if I want to, but it also does it by itself. I'll be doing normal things, and the left side of my--like an arm or leg will just jerk out. My face does this too(especially eye and lip) but usually more often when I am experiencing a feeling of anger or annoyance. It's embarrassing because if I'm in an argument with someone and they're really making me mad, the whole side of my face just starts twitching without me realizing it(or sometimes I do feel it, but not always) and that just leads to ridicule. Sometimes people point out that my left eye blinks slightly before my right eye--also embarrassing and if I look closely, I see that the left is slightly smaller than the right but I don't think that's relevant.

Any ideas? Like I said, it's not really a threat it's just something I'm wondering about. Thanks.

[Rohag]

Hello, Siljie! Have you ever been examined by a neurologist or undergone an EEG? The condition that came to my mind on reading your post was "myoclonus / myoclonic jerks." Of course, this is something that would have to be discovered in testing. How much do these twitches interfere with your daily life?

[siljie]

I haven't gone to a doctor about it yet, no. But later this summer I know I have a physical coming up and maybe I can mention it there. I looked Myoclonus up and it actually sounds quite fitting and something to look into and mention at the physical--thank you for that. It only affects my daily life by causing embarrassment and discomfort--once on a flight to London, my arm shot out and hit the person next to me and I didn't even notice until she gave me a rude look and told me what happened, leading me to apologize, etc. Thanks.