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Treatments and drugs
By Mayo Clinic staffTreatment of myoclonus is most effective when a reversible underlying cause can be found — such as a medication or toxin that can be discontinued or "flushed out" of your body. There are no drugs specifically designed to treat myoclonus, but doctors have borrowed from other disease treatment arsenals to relieve myoclonic symptoms.
Medications
Medications that doctors commonly prescribe for myoclonus include:
- Tranquilizers. Clonazepam (Klonopin) is the most common drug used to combat myoclonus symptoms.
- Anticonvulsants. Drugs used to control epileptic seizures have also proved helpful in reducing myoclonus symptoms. The most common anticonvulsants used for myoclonus are divalproex sodium (Depakote), primidone (Mysoline) and levetiracetam (Keppra).
- Immunosuppressants. These may be used to treat specialized forms of myoclonus that occur only in children. They may include adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), azathioprine (Imuran), corticosteroids or immunoglobulin therapy (IVIg).
Therapies
Botulinum toxin type A (Botox) injections may be helpful in treating various forms of myoclonus, particularly if only a single area is affected. Botulinum toxins block the release of a chemical messenger that triggers muscle contractions.
Surgery
If your myoclonus symptoms are caused by a tumor or lesion in your brain or spinal cord, surgery may be an option.
