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Unexplained anxiety - an aura or a cause?

Mon, 03/12/2007 - 16:11
Oftentimes, before I get a sudden jerk (I won't call it a myoclonic jerk or anything like that, I have no diagnosis and it seems a bit premature), I get this strange sensation running up through me, almost like anxiety or fear, along with some tension. Initially I just assumed that it was just a warning, which I'm very appreciative of, but now I'm starting to wonder, is this feeling what's making me jerk, am I "making" myself jerk in response to the feeling, or is the feeling an aura/early warning? (I know, an aura's meant to be a partial seizure(?) but they do sound as though they serve as a good early warning system) I have had the sensation before and not jerked, or felt as though it might come any minute, but it never does, so it's not exclusive to right before a jerk.

Comments

Re: Unexplained anxiety - an aura or a cause?

Submitted by bleedingheart on Tue, 2007-03-13 - 16:11
Hi Is it possible that the anxiety/fear/tension is a result of being tired? When I haven't had enough sleep, I find my arms jerk / twitch when I start to fall asleep in my chair. A doctor told me it isn't a seizure, just normal response of a body that is very tired. If I had seizures they would be tonic-clonic and the jerks are nothing like that. My family members who don't have epilepsy have experienced this too. As you know, auras are warnings that let the person experiencing them know a seizure has started in one part of the brain before they spread to other parts of the brain. So I don't think the twitching/jerking movements are auras. It might be a good idea to talk to a physician / neurologist.

Re: Unexplained anxiety - an aura or a cause?

Submitted by ChelB on Wed, 2007-04-04 - 17:18
Yes, anxiety can be a form of aura, and auras are not always partial seizures. For example, people with migraines get auras that are not seizures. Unexplained anxiety or fear can also be a symptom of other health issues, like a blood clot. Get in to see your doctor just to make sure. It's the brief, intense anxiety that is the key here, not so much the "jerk" that goes with it.

Re: Re: Unexplained anxiety - an aura or a cause?

Submitted by Deej1945 on Fri, 2007-04-06 - 10:33
Generalized anxiety is not a form of aura...everyone experiences anxiety often in their life and many people are simply prone to anxiety. It is the strange anxious feeling, accompanied by other symptoms such as vision problems, a tape running back and forth in your head, etc. that are the actually aura. Just a little clarification to this comment...

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