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Preparing for your appointment
By Mayo Clinic staffYou'll probably first discuss your concerns with your family doctor, who may decide to refer you to a neurologist. Because appointments can be brief, it's a good idea to come prepared to make the best use of the time allotted.
What you can do
- Write down a list of your symptoms, noting if there's anything that seems to trigger them or make them better.
- Take a list of all your medications, including any vitamins or supplements.
- Compile a list of questions for your doctor, asking about possible causes, treatments and prognosis.
What to expect from your doctor
Your doctor will ask you to describe your myoclonus symptoms in detail, including what seems to trigger your symptoms and when or how they go away. He or she may also ask if you have a history of:
- Seizures
- Any other neurological problems
- Drug or chemical exposure
- Other medical problems
- Family members with a similar problem or epilepsy
Your doctor may try to provoke your myoclonus symptoms, so he or she can see how many muscle groups are involved and if there are any other neurological abnormalities that occur at the same time.
- Caviness JN. Classification and evaluation of myoclonus. http://www.uptodate.com. Accessed April 27, 2010.
- Jankovic J, et al. Movement disorders: Diagnosis and assessment. In: Bradley WG, et al. Neurology in clinical practice. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Butterworth-Heinemann/Elsevier; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/book/player/book.do?method=display&type=bookPage&decorator=header&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-7506-7525-3..50026-1--cesec27&uniq=196879356&isbn=978-0-7506-7525-3&sid=987314823. Accessed April 22, 2010.
- Myoclonus fact sheet. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/myoclonus/detail_myoclonus.htm. Accessed April 19, 2010.
- Caviness JN. Treatment of myoclonus. http://www.uptodate.com. Accessed April 20, 2010.
- Caviness JM. Classification and evaluation of myoclonus. http://www.uptodate.com. Accessed June 23, 2010.
- Neurological diagnostic tests and procedures. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/misc/diagnostic_tests.htm. Accessed April 22, 2010.
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