Myoclonus

Overview

Myoclonus can have many causes, and pinning down and understanding a patient's disease can be difficult. Mayo Clinic is well suited to this challenge because of the experience of our movement disorders specialists (who treat 500-700 patients with this disorder each year) and our state-of-the-art diagnostic tools.

Because most myoclonus is symptomatic (caused by another underlying disorder), patients treated at Mayo Clinic benefit from Mayo's ability to diagnose and treat the underlying disease as well as the myoclonus.

Diagnosis

Teasing out the cause of a patient's myoclonus can involve a lengthy process of elimination. Doctors usually begin by taking a full history, including a description of the myoclonus, other neurological problems, any history of seizures, current or past drug or toxin exposure, other medical problems and family history. Read more about myoclonus diagnosis.

Treatment Options

Treating myoclonus is easiest when a reversible underlying cause can be found, such as a medication or toxin that can be discontinued or flushed out, a metabolic abnormality that can be corrected or a spinal lesion that can be removed. In such cases, the involuntary movements may disappear quickly.

Treating other forms of myoclonus can be more challenging, though options are available. Read more about myoclonus treatment options.

• Treatment in Arizona
• Treatment in Florida
• Treatment in Minnesota
• Treatment of Children & Adolescents

About Myoclonus

Myoclonus refers to sudden, brief, shocklike involuntary movements caused by muscle contractions or relaxations. ("Myo" means muscle and "clonus" means jerk.) If the movements are contractions, they're called "positive myoclonus." If they're relaxations, they're called "negative myoclonus" or asterixis. Myoclonus is caused by a malfunction in the nervous system that sends out inappropriate electrical discharges.