Everyone has occasional involuntary muscle twitches, or myoclonus. But for some people, muscle spasms become disruptive and even dangerous. Your healthcare provider can determine the cause of myoclonus. Medications can reduce the severity and frequency of myoclonic twitches and jerks.
- Benign fasciculate syndrome or muscle twitching syndrome is a non-threatening neurological disorder. Its primary symptom is muscle twitching all over body, which could impact the fingers, arms, legs, back, eyelids or even the tongue. You may also experience anxiety, pain, fatigue, numbness, muscle fatigue, etc.
- Orthostatic tremor is a rare disorder characterized by rapid muscle contractions in the legs that occur when standing. People typically experience feelings of unsteadiness or imbalance, causing them to immediately attempt to sit or walk.
Muscle Twitch In Arm
What is myoclonus (muscle twitch)?
Myoclonus is the medical term for brief, involuntary muscle twitching or jerking. Myoclonus comes on suddenly. It's not a disease but a sign of another condition.
People who experience myoclonic twitches or jerks have muscles that unexpectedly tighten or contract (positive myoclonus) or relax (negative myoclonus). Muscle twitches may occur in one hand, arm or leg, or the face. Sometimes, myoclonus involves many muscles at the same time.
How common is myoclonus (muscle twitch)?
Everyone has involuntary muscle twitches. If you've ever had the hiccups, jumped from being startled or felt your body jerk as you drifted off to sleep, you've experienced myoclonus.
What are the types of myoclonus (muscle twitch)?
Cause Muscle Twitch
Experts classify myoclonus by the underlying cause. Types include:
Occasional Muscle Twitching
- Action: Moving or just thinking about moving brings on muscle twitches. Action myoclonus is the most disabling type. Muscle spasms can affect a person's face, arms and legs.
- Epileptic: People with epilepsy are more prone to muscle twitches and jerks.
- Essential: Healthcare providers don't know what causes essential myoclonus. It sometimes occurs in families but can also happen randomly. Essential myoclonus tends to progress slowly.
- Sleep: Muscle twitches happen as you're falling asleep. These muscle twitches may be a sign of restless legs syndrome.
- Stimulus-sensitive: Outside stimuli, such as lights, noise or activity, trigger muscle twitching.
- Symptomatic: People with these muscle twitches have an underlying medical cause, such as ataxia or Parkinson's disease. Providers may call this type secondary myoclonus.
