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.
Myoclonus history and symptoms
Introduction
Please help WikiDoc by adding more content here. It’s easy! Click here to learn about editing.
History and Symptoms
History and Symptoms
- Myoclonic seizures can be described as ‘jumps’. They are caused by rapid contraction and relaxation of the muscles. People without epilepsy can suffer small but similar jerks in the form of hiccups or brief twitches; these are perfectly normal.
- In someone with epilepsy, myoclonic seizures cause abnormal movements on both sides of the body at the same time. In reflex epilepsies, myoclonic seizures can be brought on by flashing lights or other environmental triggers. (See photosensitive epilepsy.)
- Familiar examples of normal myoclonus include hiccups and hypnic jerks that some people experience while drifting off to sleep. A similar but distinguishable type of jerk is often experienced during meditation. Severe cases of pathologic myoclonus can distort movement and severely limit a person’s ability to sleep, eat, talk, and walk. Myoclonic jerks commonly occur in individuals with epilepsy. The most common types of myoclonus include action, cortical reflex, essential, palatal, progressive myoclonus epilepsy, reticular reflex, sleep, and stimulus-sensitive.
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [2] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Saumya Easaw, M.B.B.S.[3]