What is jerky movements

In most cases, they resolve by a person's early 20s. Athetosis describes slow, writhing movements, and usually affects the arms and hands. A person experiencing athetosis often puts their body into uncomfortable, twisted motions involuntarily. It can begin at any age and often does not improve on its own.

It is caused by an irregularity in the basal ganglia part of the brain. Muscle twitches occur when the muscles unexpectedly tighten or relax. Twitches are very common, and just about every one of us has experienced them. Mild forms of twitches include having hiccups or jumping when you are startled. Twitches can also occur during exercise, thinking about exercise, falling asleep, or being sensitive to outside stimuli. There are several possible causes of involuntary movements. Some causes may be temporary while others are chronic or permanent:.

Many involuntary muscle movements have several possible causes. For example, myoclonus may be caused by low levels of oxygen in the brain hypoxia or a metabolic process like kidney or liver failure. Spinal myoclonus can be caused by multiple sclerosis, syringomyelia, ischemic myelopathy, trauma to the spine, or infection.

Your primary doctor may refer you to a specialist such as a neurologist or a neurosurgeon. Your medical team will order tests to determine the underlying cause of your involuntary movements, including:. The diagnostic process usually begins with a thorough history and physical exam. Some questions your doctor may ask include:. Treatment for involuntary movements depends on the cause.

Involuntary movements may be treated with medications, surgery, deep brain stimulation, or behavioral therapy. Your doctor may recommend meeting with a physical therapist to work on stretching and strengthening any muscles affected by involuntary movements. Exercises your physical therapist may recommend include swimming, walking, stretching, and balance exercises. These exercises can help slow the damage done by involuntary movements, as well as promote coordination.

This is especially helpful if you have become more prone to falls due to your involuntary movements. Some cases of involuntary movements do not have a cure.

Tardive dyskinesia, for example, is caused by a medication side effect. The only treatment is switching to a new class of antipsychotic drugs. This often helps reverse the condition, but is not always effective. Your doctor may recommend the following treatment options:. The prognosis for involuntary movements can vary widely depending on the cause and how severe the movements are. Some, such as tics, usually resolve on their own during a person's 20s.

Others are chronic and require ongoing treatment. Talk with your neurologist about what is causing your involuntary movements and how to treat them. Involuntary movements are caused by a variety of conditions, including chronic diseases, brain damage, a lack of oxygen in the brain, medication side effects, and infections. Involuntary movements are any motions made by the body that are outside of your control.

They may be small, such as eye twitching, or affect large areas of the body like athetosis. Involuntary jerking movements are known as myoclonus or twitching. Most of us have experienced mild twitching, such as hiccups or jumping when we feel startled.

Involuntary jerking movements may also be caused by a chronic disease, low levels of oxygen in the brain, trauma to the brain or spine, or infections. Involuntary muscle movements could be caused by several factors, including chronic diseases, medication side effects, brain injury, stroke, trauma, or lack of oxygen in the brain. Working with a neurologist will help you determine what is causing your involuntary muscle movements and how to treat them.

A wide range of conditions can cause involuntary movements. They may be uncomfortable and some may be chronic, but there are treatment options that can help in many cases. If you experience any involuntary movements, it's best to talk to your doctor so they can evaluate your symptoms and help you determine your next steps. It is normal to feel overwhelmed and unsure of what to do.

The first step is always checking in with your doctor and undergoing a full history and physical exam. There are several types of involuntary movements. Nerve damage, for instance, often produces small muscle twitches in the affected muscle.

The main types of involuntary movements include the following:. Tardive dyskinesia TD is a neurological condition. It originates in the brain and occurs with the use of neuroleptic drugs. Doctors prescribe these drugs to treat psychiatric disorders. You should talk with your doctor to determine which treatment is right for you. Tremors are rhythmic movements of a body part. According to the Stanford School of Medicine , most people experience tremors in response to factors such as:.

Myoclonus is characterized by quick, shock-like, jerking movements. They may occur naturally:. Tics are sudden, repetitive movements. Excessively shrugging the shoulders or flexing a finger is an example of a simple tic.

In young people, tics most often occur with Tourette syndrome. The motor tics that occur as a result of this disorder may disappear for short periods of time.

Adult-onset tics may also be due to:. This refers to slow, writhing movements. According to the Stanford School of Medicine , this type of involuntary movement most often affects the hands and arms. There are several potential causes for involuntary movements. In general, involuntary movement suggests damage to nerves or areas of your brain that affect motor coordination. However, a variety of underlying conditions can produce involuntary movement. Kernicterus is now rarely seen in the United States due to routine bilirubin screening of all newborns.

Your appointment will most likely begin with a comprehensive medical interview. Depending on the suspected cause, your doctor could order one or more medical tests. Ask patient to extend arms and hold in mid air. Finger to nose, rapid alternating movements or heel to shin. Examples Parkinson's disease, Parkinsonian tremor e. Note: There can be overlap between these categories. For example, certain forms of Parkinson's disease will exhibit postural tremor.

Conversely, severe essential tremor will be present at rest. It is important to look for other signs of the suspected diagnosis to make sure you don't miss the correct one! Show video transcript. Please visit us at med. Physiologic myoclonus is often normal in people, for example myoclonic jerks during sleep transitions. Epileptic myoclonus referred to myoclonus in the setting of epilepsy.

Essential myoclonus is a familial condition typified by multifocal jerks, usually benign. Symptomatic secondary myoclonus refers to myoclonus that occurs secondary to neurodegenerative diseases such as alzheimer's disease, Huntington disease, Lewy body dementia and Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease. Negative myoclonus is the term sometimes used to contrast myoclonus.

It represents short periods of loss of muscle tone most commonly seen in liver disease patients with hepatic encephalopathy. Is can also be seen in severe uremia and certain toxins sometimes referred to as reversible myoclonus. Huntington's Disease Huntington's chorea is arrhythmic, nonrepetitive, semi-purposeful and involves the limbs, trunk, and face.

It is most common among female patients, years old. Rare in the US but more common in developing countries. Acute onset, choreiform movements, extreme restlessness. Most often self-limited.

May reoccur, especially in pregnancy chorea gravidarum. Neuroacanthocytosis is a rare, recessive, relentlessly progressive disorder typified by chorea coupled with erythrocyte abnormalities and possibly dystonia, tics, seizures, polyneuropathy, and self mutilation. May present at any time in life. Similar presentation is noted in McLeod syndrome - an X-linked disorder associated with reactivity to Kell antigens, typically older patients.

Paroxysmal chorea has been described in hyper- and hypoglycemia, vascular diseases, and infections. It is important to rule out HD. SLE and less commonly other autoimmune disorders may cause chorea. Primary Dystonias Idiopathic Torsion Dystonia ITD , or Oppenheim's dystonia, is an autosomal dominant condition of variable penetrance seen most commonly in juvenile patients of Ashkenazi Jewish descent.

Commonly, onset begins in foot or arm before progressing to other limbs, head, and neck. Dopa Responsive Dystonia DRD is an autosomal dominant condition with an onset before 12 years of age that responds to levodopa.

Focal Dystonias This is the most common type of dystonia, commonly presenting in the 4th to 6th decade of life, affecting females more than males. Blepharospasm : abnormal contraction of eyelids, increased blinking can affect ADLs. Oromandibular dystonia OMD : dystonic contractions of muscle groups of the jaw, tongue, lips, or lower face. Cervical dystonia : dystonic neck muscle contraction, sometimes painful. May deviate head laterally torticollis , anteriorly anterocollis , or posteriorly retrocollis.

Sometimes associated with dystonic tremor and secondary cervical radiculopathy. Spasmodic dysphonia : dysfunctional contractions of the vocal cords. Limb dystonias : may present in either upper or lower extremities, often initiated by specific actions such as writing writer's cramp or laying a musical instrument musician's dystonia. Secondary Dystonias Most commonly caused by medications see below , brain lesions, or brainstem pathology.

Dystonic Storm Dystonic storm is an acute, generalized dystonic contraction that may include vocal cords or laryngeal muscles, leading to potentially fatal respiratory obstruction. Drug-Induced Movement Disorders. Acute Most acute hyperkinetic drug reactions result in dystonia , typically generalized in children and focal in adults. Amphetamines, methylphenidate, and cocaine are known to cause chorea, tics, and stereotyped behaviors.

Subacute Most subacute reactions result in akathisia. Tardive Syndromes Tardive dyskinesia TD most often develops months to years after antipsychotic treatment is initiated. Most often, TD presents with choriform movements of the mouth, tongue, and lips. Lower risk of TD is conferred by youth and use of atypical antipsychotics.

Increased risk is conferred by advanced age, toothlessness, and organic cerebral dysfunction. Roughly one third of TD cases resolve within 3 months of discontinuing the offending drug. Most other patients slowly improve over a course of years. Tardive dystonia is associated with chronic neuroleptic exposure and is typified by axial muscle involvement and a characteristic rocking motion.

Tardive dystonia often persists after offending medication is discontinued and is refractory to therapy. Tardive akathisia and Tardive Tourette's syndrome are much less common but still associated with chronic antipsychotic exposure. Psychogenic Disorders. Clinical features suggestive of a psychogenic cause: Acute onset.