# Eye twitching is going to drive me to drink **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 28, 2006, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eye-twitching-is-going-to-drive-me-to-drink/385864 "2006-12-28T15:23:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eye-twitching-is-going-to-drive-me-to-drink/385864/1 "2006-12-28T15:23:50Z")
My right eye is driving me mad. It has been steadily twitching for the past few days (since Christmas Eve). AHHHHH! ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eye-twitching-is-going-to-drive-me-to-drink/385864/2 "2006-12-28T15:26:38Z")
So, are you looking for drink suggestions or eye-twitching remedies? ---
**Author:** ![XJETGIRLX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9fc29f/32.png) [@XJETGIRLX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XJETGIRLX)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eye-twitching-is-going-to-drive-me-to-drink/385864/3 "2006-12-28T15:28:49Z")
I get this as a precursor to migraine. My doctor put me on a preventative medication that stops it within a few minutes, provided I catch it early. Before I got put on Frova, I had eye twitches that went on continuously for two weeks. You may want to go get checked out, just in case. ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eye-twitching-is-going-to-drive-me-to-drink/385864/4 "2006-12-28T15:29:22Z")
If you have suggestions to stop the eye twitching I would love them. If you have drink suggestions I am done work at four, you can pick me up then. šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eye-twitching-is-going-to-drive-me-to-drink/385864/5 "2006-12-28T15:55:14Z")
Have you had anyone winking back? šŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eye-twitching-is-going-to-drive-me-to-drink/385864/6 "2006-12-28T17:17:04Z")
[QUOTE=AskNott] Have you had anyone winking back? šŸ˜‰ [/QUOTE] No winks back, but a few strange looks from people alog the lines of ā€œWTF is up with that eye?ā€ ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eye-twitching-is-going-to-drive-me-to-drink/385864/7 "2006-12-28T17:21:50Z")
Hereā€™s some actual [information](http://www.kellogg.umich.edu/patientcare/conditions/faq.html#twitch), for what itā€™s worth: > [@](#): > > **Why Does My Eye Twitch?** > > ``` > Mild twitching of the eyelid is a common phenomenon. Although these involuntary contractions of muscles are annoying, they are almost always temporary and completely harmless. The medical name for this kind of twitching is ocular myokymia. It is quite common and most often associated with fatigue. When your eye is twitching, it is not visible to anyone else. Ophthalmologists often are asked what causes the twitching and what can be done to stop it. Lack of sleep, too much caffeine or increased stress seem to be root causes. Often, gently massaging your eye will relieve the symptoms. Usually, the twitch will disappear after catching up on your sleep. > > ``` ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eye-twitching-is-going-to-drive-me-to-drink/385864/8 "2006-12-28T17:26:09Z")
[QUOTE=Q.E.D.] Hereā€™s some actual [information](http://www.kellogg.umich.edu/patientcare/conditions/faq.html#twitch), for what itā€™s worth: [/QUOTE] OKay - so now I am sitting in my cubicle, gently massaging my eyeball. I also do not buy the ā€œitā€™s not noticable by other peopleā€ thing. More weird looks. Sigh. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eye-twitching-is-going-to-drive-me-to-drink/385864/9 "2006-12-28T17:54:55Z")
Have you been consuming an unusually large amount of caffeine lately? I get eye twitches from that, and cutting back on the caffeine usually makes them go away. Of course, if Iā€™m consuming unusually large amounts of caffeine, stress, fatigue, and lack of sleep are usually in the picture, as wellā€¦ ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eye-twitching-is-going-to-drive-me-to-drink/385864/10 "2006-12-28T17:58:36Z")
[QUOTE=Anne Neville] Have you been consuming an unusually large amount of caffeine lately? I get eye twitches from that, and cutting back on the caffeine usually makes them go away. Of course, if Iā€™m consuming unusually large amounts of caffeine, stress, fatigue, and lack of sleep are usually in the picture, as wellā€¦ [/QUOTE] I donā€™t think any more than usual, but I am tired. Too much to do and not enough time to do it. Yawn. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eye-twitching-is-going-to-drive-me-to-drink/385864/11 "2006-12-28T18:09:08Z")
A certain French detective hasnā€™t been irritating you lately, has he? ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eye-twitching-is-going-to-drive-me-to-drink/385864/12 "2006-12-28T18:10:37Z")
[QUOTE=Poysyn] OKay - so now I am sitting in my cubicle, gently massaging my eyeball. I also do not buy the ā€œitā€™s not noticable by other peopleā€ thing. More weird looks. Sigh. [/QUOTE] People donā€™t notice the actual twitching, they notice the scared ā€œam I looking like a weirdo?ā€ look on your face and wonder if you are letting out a silent fart that you are not sure if it will smell or something. Look at yourself in a mirror while it is happening and convince yourself. I got those a lot at the end of high-school and the beginning of college. Then they disappeard as mysteriously as they appeared. I tried the massaging thing but it didnā€™t make it go away any faster. Just gave me something to do while it went off and helped me cover my paranoia face. During the same period, I suffered a similar twitching in my right thumb, that one was fairly noticeable to me when I looked at it intently. Nothing anyone else would pickup or that prevented use of the hand, though. Squeezing a couple fists usually took care of those. ---
**Author:** ![XJETGIRLX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9fc29f/32.png) [@XJETGIRLX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XJETGIRLX)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eye-twitching-is-going-to-drive-me-to-drink/385864/13 "2006-12-28T18:43:20Z")
[QUOTE=Sapo] People donā€™t notice the actual twitching, they notice the scared ā€œam I looking like a weirdo?ā€ look on your face and wonder if you are letting out a silent fart that you are not sure if it will smell or something. Look at yourself in a mirror while it is happening and convince yourself. [/QUOTE] Hrm, when my eye twitches it is very noticable. Someone once told me it looked like bugs crawling under the skin. The whole lower lid would bulge and spasm for a second or two, then stop. Repeat ad nauseum every 3-5 minutes for what seemed like eternity. ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eye-twitching-is-going-to-drive-me-to-drink/385864/14 "2006-12-28T18:44:17Z")
Thank you Sapo, you are giving me some light at the end of the tunnel. I am thinking maybe ā€œapply large amounts of margaritaā€ may work as well. So irritating! ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eye-twitching-is-going-to-drive-me-to-drink/385864/15 "2006-12-28T19:43:32Z")
[QUOTE=Poysyn] Thank you Sapo, you are giving me some light at the end of the tunnel. I am thinking maybe ā€œapply large amounts of margaritaā€ may work as well. So irritating! [/QUOTE] I take it you posted this before reading **XJETGIRLX** ā€™s post. Is that the sound of a bubble popping? I guess YMMV I would prescribe Johnny Walker but if you say it is Margarita, go ahead. ---
**Author:** ![Sonia\_Montdore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@Sonia\_Montdore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sonia_Montdore)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eye-twitching-is-going-to-drive-me-to-drink/385864/16 "2006-12-28T23:50:34Z")
[QUOTE=Poysyn] OKay - so now I am sitting in my cubicle, gently massaging my eyeball. I also do not buy the ā€œitā€™s not noticable by other peopleā€ thing. [/QUOTE] Of course they notice it. My eye, usually the right one, twitches something fierce sometimes and other people see it. People remark on it (ā€œHey, did you know your eyelid is, like jumping?ā€) or give me odd looks when it happens. I donā€™t find massage helps. Sometimes you just gotta wait it out until it stops as mysteriously as it started. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2006, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eye-twitching-is-going-to-drive-me-to-drink/385864/17 "2006-12-29T00:07:37Z")
Calcium/magnesium supplements and a drink of tonic water every day will take care of it, I think. ---
**Author:** ![Raza](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/raza/32/213_2.png) [@Raza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raza)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2006, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eye-twitching-is-going-to-drive-me-to-drink/385864/18 "2006-12-29T01:20:11Z")
I used to have eye twitches a lot. Coincidentally (or not) they stopped after I started on anti-hypertension drugs. Turns out there were lots of signs I had high blood pressure that I didnā€™t recognize. ---
**Author:** ![Cartigan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@Cartigan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartigan)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2006, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eye-twitching-is-going-to-drive-me-to-drink/385864/19 "2006-12-29T03:38:51Z")
Coffee, well too much of it, gives me an eye twitch. But everyone can see mine. When I overwork my triceps they also twitch as well. Both are VERY irritating but temporary. ---
**Author:** ![tbdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3bc359/32.png) [@tbdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tbdi)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2006, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eye-twitching-is-going-to-drive-me-to-drink/385864/20 "2006-12-29T03:40:36Z")
I had that in the left eyelid for a period of a few weeks before it finally drove me to get it checked. A light touch would stop it, sometimes for several minutes, but it kept coming back and was incredibly annoying. The tech ran me through a few tests and then some sort of intern reviewed the info with me and told me it was likely too much caffeine (which did not make sense) and not enough sleep (which did). Then the doctor who owned the practice came in and told me I was on the verge of glaucoma and I needed to take regular supplements which, by coincidence, he happened to sell. He also had a book for sale about it if I was interested. Smelling snake oil I went to another doctor who asked me if I was having extra stress lately. I told him it had been a hard few weeks at work just before it started but now the only major stress I had was the eye twitching and wondering what it was leading to. He laughed and told me to relax about that since it was nothing and within 24 hours it was gone. Iā€™ve gotten a few times since but generally just for a few hours and always when Iā€™m overtired and overstressed. Chances are itā€™s nothing serious but get it checked anyway. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/eye-twitching-is-going-to-drive-me-to-drink/385864.md?page=2)