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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staffPeople with myoclonus often describe the symptoms as "jerks," shakes" or "spasms" that are:
- Sudden
- Brief
- Involuntary
- Shock-like
- Variable in intensity and frequency
- Localized to one part of the body or all over the body
- Sometimes severe enough to interfere with eating, talking or walking
When to see a doctor
If your myoclonus symptoms become frequent and persistent, talk to your doctor for further evaluation and proper diagnosis and treatment.
References
- 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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