Exactly when you should visit a GP for an eye twitch revealed by NHS – and the 4 key causes

HAVE you ever experienced a gentle tug or what feels like a heartbeat below your eye?

The chances are you have an eye twitch - it's something most people will get from time to time.

Twitching eyes and muscles are very common and rarely cause for concern, according to the NHS.

They're usually triggered by four things:

• stress and anxiety
• tiredness and exhaustion
• drinking caffeine or alcohol
• some medicines

If you think it's medication that's causing your eye to twitch, it's worth checking the side effects on the packet or leaflet.

A twitch may come and go, will normally stop in a few days or weeks, and there's usually no need for treatment.

But the NHS recommends some simple things you can do if your eye twitch is starting to become an annoyance.

1. get plenty of rest
2. try to find ways to relax
3. stretch and massage any muscles affected by cramps
4. try not to worry about it – a twitch is usually harmless and worrying can make it worse

Some other things you can do are avoid drinking lots of caffeine, such as tea and coffee.

This goes for alcohol too.

But if you're taking prescribed medicine and you think it could be causing your twitch, don't stop taking it without getting medical advice.

An eye twitch will often go away on its own, but on the rare occurrence it doesn't it could be time to see your GP.

The NHS advises seeing your GP if the following occurs:

• you have a twitch for more than two weeks
• you have a twitch in more than one place
• the affected area feels weak or stiff

Your GP should be able to check for causes like stress or a medicine you're taking.

If your twitch continues then, you may be referred to see a neurologist for tests to look for condition that could be causing the twitch.

Some possible causes of a twitch that doesn't go away or happens with other symptoms include benign fasciculation syndrome (long-lasting twitches and cramps caused by overactive nerves).

The exact cause of the condition is unknown, but it can be associated with a number of factors, including stress, strenuous exercise and illness.

A long-lasting twitch could also be linked to dystonia (a group of uncommon conditions that cause muscle spasms).

The condition can be inherited or caused by brain damage.

In some cases a twitchy eye that won't go can be a symptom of motor neurone disease (an uncommon condition that causes weakness and gets worse over time).

Having a close relative with motor neurone disease, or a related condition called frontotemporal dementia, can sometimes mean you're more likely to get it.

Below are some other conditions eye twitching has been associated with...