Myoclonus
Myoclonus refers to the condition where a person experiences brief, sudden, and involuntary jerking or twitching of muscles or specific groups of muscles. The condition is not a disease in itself but rather a symptom of an underlying medical condition. The involuntary twitching cannot be controlled or stopped by the individual, and it can begin during childhood or adulthood, with mild to severe symptoms manifesting.
Health experts say that myoclonus can be caused by tightening or sudden muscular contractions (positive myoclonus) or muscle relaxation (negative myoclonus). Myoclonus can occur alone or in sequence. It can also manifest with a pattern or without and in response to an external event or stimuli. It can also happen infrequently, or it can also manifest several times per minute.
Myoclonus can be caused by a problem in the spinal cord or the brain, and it can also be caused by damage to the peripheral nervous system. It can also occur by itself or as part of several associated symptoms of nervous system problems. For example, myoclonus can manifest in people with epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease, and Creutzfeld-Jakob disease. The condition can also manifest when a person suffers a head or spinal cord injury. Doctors can recommend medication to manage the condition.
