Myoclonus consists of a brief, rapid, involuntary, and sudden, shock-like movement consisting of single or repetitive muscle discharges. Generally, myoclonus is physiological and is not a case for concern, however forms of myoclonus may occur due to a central nervous system disorder such as epilepsy, metabolic problems or reaction to medications.
Hiccups are a form of myoclonus, just like the sudden bumps that happen when the person is falling asleep. These forms of myoclonus occur in healthy people and rarely present a problem.
The treatment usually consists of treating the cause or the illness that is in its origin, however, in some cases it is not possible to solve the cause that is in its origin and the treatment consists only in the relief of the symptoms.
What are the symptoms
Generally, people with myoclonus describe a sudden, brief, involuntary type of muscle spasm, as if it were a shock, which can vary in intensity and frequency, which may be only one part of the body or several, and in very serious cases, can interfere with eating and speaking or walking.
Possible causes
Myoclonus can be caused by several problems, and can be classified according to the cause, in several types:
1. Physiological myoclonus
This type of myoclonus occurs in normal and healthy people and rarely requires treatment, such as:
- Hiccups;
- Spasms during the onset of sleep, also called nocturnal myoclonus;
- Tremors or spasms due to anxiety or exercise;
- Infantile spasms during sleep or after feeding.
2. Essential myoclonus
Myelonia essential by itself usually has no other symptoms and is not associated with other diseases. The causes of essential myoclonus are unexplained and in some cases hereditary.
3. Epilepsy Myoclonus
This type of myoclonus occurs in part due to an epileptic disorder. Learn to identify the symptoms of epilepsy.
4. Secondary myoclonus
Also known as symptomatic myoclonus, it usually occurs as a result of another disease or medical condition, such as a head or spinal cord injury, infection, kidney or liver failure, Gaucher disease, poisoning, prolonged oxygen deprivation, reaction to medications, diseases autoimmune and metabolic.
In addition to these, there are other conditions related to the central nervous system, which may also result in secondary myoclonus, such as stroke, brain tumor, Huntington's disease, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, corticobasal degeneration and frontotemporal dementia.
What is night myoclonus?
The nocturnal myoclonus or muscle spasms during sleep is a disorder that occurs during sleep, when the person feels that he is falling or in imbalance and usually happens when he is falling asleep, in which the arms or legs move involuntarily, as if they were muscle spasms.
It is not yet known which cause is the cause of these movements but is thought to be a kind of brain conflict, in which the system that keeps the person awake interferes with the system that induces sleep, which can happen because, even during sleep, when one begins to dream, the motor system exteriorizes some control over the body even when the muscles begin to relax.
How is the treatment done?
There are many cases where treatment is not necessary, but when it is justified, it usually consists of treating the cause or the disease that is in its origin, however, in some cases it is not possible to resolve the cause and only alleviate the symptoms. The drugs and techniques used are as follows:
Tranquilizers: Clonazepam is the most prescribed medication in these cases, to combat the symptoms of myoclonus, however it can cause side effects such as loss of coordination and drowsiness.
Anticonvulsants: These are medicines that control epilepsy seizures, which also help reduce the symptoms of myoclonus. The anticonvulsants most used in these cases are levetiracetam, valproic acid and primidone. The most common side effects of valproic acid are nausea, of levetiracetam are fatigue and dizziness and of primidone are sedation and nausea.
Therapies : Botox injections can help treat various forms of myoclonus, especially when only one part of the body is affected. This botulinum toxin blocks the release of a chemical messenger that causes muscle contraction.
Surgery: If the symptoms of myoclonus are caused by a tumor or an injury to the brain or spinal cord, surgery in these cases may be an option.
