Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Ataxia history and symptoms
Introduction
Symptoms
Symptoms
Symptoms may include [1]:
- Poor coordination
- Inability to stand without swaying
- An uneven gait that may look like the person is drunk
- Involuntary back-and-forth eye movements (nystagmus)
- Unusual speech patterns such as:
- Monotonous tone
- Either rushing words or placing large gaps between syllables
- Impaired motions
- Tremors in the limbs, particularly towards the end of movements
- Difficulty with fine motor tasks, such as eating, writing or buttoning a shirt
- Difficulty swallowing
A patient with ataxia may also experience other neurological symptoms such as dementia, seizures, or a wide array of other disorders.
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]