Myoclonus

ARTICLE SECTIONS

Introduction Signs and symptoms Causes When to seek medical advice

Screening and diagnosis Complications Treatment

Introduction

Myoclonus refers to a quick, involuntary muscle jerk. For example, hiccups are a form of myoclonus. So are the sudden jerks, or "sleep starts," you may experience just before falling asleep. These forms of myoclonus occur in healthy people and rarely present a problem.

But in some cases, more severe forms of myoclonus can be triggered by an underlying problem, such as a head or spinal cord injury, a stroke, a nervous system or metabolic disorder, lack of oxygen to your brain, an infection, ingestion of a toxin, a reaction to a medication or other medical problems.

If the underlying problem that's causing myoclonus — a medication, for example — can be eliminated, the myoclonus usually resolves, too. But some disorders that cause myoclonus, such as epilepsy or Alzheimer's disease, aren't reversible and treatment of associated myoclonus may not eliminate it completely.

In a few cases, the cause of myoclonus may not be found. If the cause of myoclonus is chronic or unexplained, then the goal becomes to ease the effects of myoclonus on your quality of life.

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Signs and symptoms