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Two Causes Of Eye Twitching, Especially Under The Left Eyelid

author avatar Dr. Eric Berg 11/14/2016

Do you frequently experience eye twitching? Let me explain why it happens, so you know how to fix it if it occurs again.

RELATED: The Best And Worst Type Of Calcium

In this article:

  1. Eye Twitching Usually Occurs Underneath the Left Eyelid
  2. Eye Twitching Is Called Tetany
  3. What Causes Eye Twitching?
  4. Reasons for Low Calcium
  5. Reasons for Alkalosis
  6. What Happens When You Have Alkalosis?
  7. Run Through the Possibilities of Why Your Eye Keeps Twitching

Reasons Why Eye Twitching Happens

Eye Twitching Usually Occurs Underneath the Left Eyelid

I want to talk about twitching underneath the left eyelid, or blepharospasm, because most people experience it. Don't ask me why it appears on the left side. Normally, it should be on the right side, but most of the time, it's underneath the left eyelid. Sometimes, it's in the arm or in any part of the body. 

Eye Twitching Is Called Tetany

Tired teen girl rubbing dry irritable eyes | Two Causes Of Eye Twitching, Especially Under The Left Eyelid | why is my eye twitching

The other name for constant eye twitching is tetany. It's an excitable nerve that is twitching. If you do a search on this, you'll see a lot of people are getting rid of this by taking apple cider vinegar. 

What Causes Eye Twitching?

The two main causes of why your eyelid is twitching are low calcium and alkalosis, which means your blood is a little too alkaline. Normally, your blood is alkaline, but sometimes, it is a little out of range. 

When you experience an eyelid twitch, it's a little red flag or clue that there is something not right with your body. It’s not light sensitivity either. There can be an imbalance of something causing the eyelid spasms or your eyelid muscles to twitch. I have found that if you take more calcium, it does not get rid of this involuntary twitching. Yet, taking apple cider vinegar does work very well for this. 

RELATED: Best Sources Of Calcium

Reasons for Low Calcium 

Man Undergoing The Medical Ultrasound Examination In Clinic | Two Causes Of Eye Twitching, Especially Under The Left Eyelid | under left eye twitching

First, let's talk about the potential reasons why you might have low calcium. 

1. Parathyroid Problems

One reason for low calcium is a parathyroid problem. In other words, if you have tetany and you do all the things I am going to tell you but it does not go away, schedule an appointment with an eye doctor and get checked. Your doctor might find a parathyroid problem. It's rare, but it's a possibility. 

Parathyroid Problem or Disease Definition: Any health issue involving the parathyroid glands, like hyperparathyroidism or an excess of parathyroid hormone. 

2. Too Much Magnesium

Another reason for low calcium is taking too much magnesium. High levels of magnesium can lower the levels of calcium in the body because calcium and magnesium work together. If you take too much of one, the other one goes down. 

3. Low Vitamin D

The reason may also be a Vitamin D deficiency If this is the case, you are not going to be able to absorb calcium. Vitamin D helps improve the absorption of calcium in the small intestine by 20 times. 

4. Low Dietary Calcium Intake

You may also have low dietary calcium intake, which can trigger low calcium. Let's say, for example, you don't consume dairy, you can get your calcium from leafy greens. But, if you don't consume dairy or leafy greens, that may be the reason why you have low calcium. There are other reasons, though, but those are the most common. 

Reasons for Alkalosis

Young sick woman standing holding belly suffering from stomach pain  | Two Causes Of Eye Twitching, Especially Under The Left Eyelid | cause of eye twitching

Before I tell you the reasons for alkalosis, let me first explain what happens to your body when you have this.

What Happens When You Have Alkalosis? 

Normally, the pH of the blood is within a very narrow range from 7.35 to 7.45. A pH of 7 is neutral. When you go up that scale, you are getting more alkaline. Anything below 7 is acidic. With alkalosis, the pH is above 7.45. What happens when your blood pH is above is you start getting muscle spasms, cramps, tetany, and a whole series of other issues.

Now, let’s talk about the causes of alkalosis: 

1. Not Enough Stomach Acid

One point I want to bring up is your body mobilizes calcium. It's absorbed in the body with an acid pH in the stomach. So, if you don't have enough acid in your stomach, that can be one cause of alkalosis. It can also be one reason why you are not absorbing calcium. 

But how do you know if you have a low stomach acid? You'll get indigestion, bloating, acid reflux, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which are all symptoms of low stomach acid. What I’m trying to do is make you understand what's behind certain things. This allows you to not just automatically take apple cider vinegar to get rid of tetany without really understanding what's going on.

GERD Definition: A digestive disorder affecting the human body's lower esophageal sphincter. 

2. Vomiting, Laxatives, and Low Potassium

Vomiting, laxatives, and low potassium can cause alkalosis as well. How do you become low in potassium? It may be that you are not consuming enough vegetables, your carbs are too high, you're eating too much sugar, or you have high cortisol.

How do you get too much cortisol? That is through stress and fatigue, which can lead to tired eyes. In which case, you need to get more sleep, take more long walks, and remove the stress in your life as much as possible. 

Run Through the Possibilities of Why Your Eye Keeps Twitching

Woman looks in the mirror | Two Causes Of Eye Twitching, Especially Under The Left Eyelid | when to worry about eye twitching

What you want to do if you get symptoms of benign or severe eye twitching is run through all the possibilities and see what causes it. Like when it’s wintertime, your eye twitching may mean you need more Vitamin D because sun exposure is very limited during this season. 

You can also ask yourself questions about why your eye is twitching. Is it your stomach acid that causes eye twitching symptoms or is it stress? Do you need to start eating more vegetables? Are you taking a laxative? Maybe, you should fix the reason why you have constipation if you are. Are you bulimic and vomiting? Answering any of these can help you fix the problem with facial spasms or uncontrolled blinking (like your contact lenses mess up or you are having dry eyes or an eye infection, in which you need eye drops).  

There can be other conditions why you are experiencing eye twitching. I just want to show you what's behind this very common symptom, so you can find out the root of it and know what you can do to fix it. If you think you are experiencing any of the reasons for low calcium or alkalosis, correct the problem now to avoid these eye muscle contractions or possibly another eye irritation, and improve eye health.

Which of the reasons for low calcium or alkalosis are you experiencing? Tell us in the comments section below!

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Disclaimer: Our educational content is not meant or intended for medical advice or treatment.

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