Movement - unpredictable or jerky
Chorea; Muscle - jerky movements (uncontrolled); Hyperkinetic movements; Myoclonus; BallismusJerky body movement is a condition in which a person makes fast movements that they cannot control and that have no purpose. These movements interrupt the person's normal movement or posture.
When abnormal movements are excessive, they are called ‘hyperkinetic’ movements and include myoclonus (jerking and twitching) and ballismus (violent flinging of extremities), chorea (slow, twisting, or continued movements), among others.
Considerations
This condition can affect one or both sides of the body. Typical movements of chorea include:
- Bending and straightening the fingers and toes
- Grimacing in the face
- Raising and lowering the shoulders
These movements do not usually repeat. They can look like they are being done on purpose. But the movements are not under the person's control. A person with chorea may look jittery or restless.
Chorea can be a painful condition, making it hard to do daily living activities.
Causes
There are many possible causes of unpredictable, jerky movements, including:
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Antiphospholipid syndrome (disorder that involves abnormal blood clotting)
Antiphospholipid syndrome
Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is an autoimmune disorder that involves frequent blood clots (thromboses). When you have this condition, your body's...
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- Disorders of calcium, glucose, or sodium metabolism
- Degenerative diseases (disorders that involve breakdown of nerve cells in the brain), such as Alzheimer disease and Huntington disease
- Medicines (such as levodopa, antidepressants, anticonvulsants)
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Polycythemia rubra vera (bone marrow disease)
Polycythemia rubra vera
Polycythemia vera (PV) is a bone marrow disease that leads to an abnormal increase in the number of blood cells. The red blood cells are the most af...
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Sydenham chorea (movement disorder that occurs most often in children after infection with bacteria called group A streptococcus)
Sydenham chorea
Sydenham chorea is a movement disorder that occurs after infection with specific bacteria called group A streptococcus.
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Wilson disease (disorder that involves too much copper in the body)
Wilson disease
Wilson disease is an inherited disorder in which there is too much copper in the body's tissues. The excess copper damages the liver and nervous sys...
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Stroke or lack of oxygen to the brain (hypoxic brain injury)
Stroke
A stroke occurs when blood flow to a part of the brain stops. A stroke is sometimes called a "brain attack. " If blood flow is cut off for longer th...
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Systemic lupus erythematosus (disease in which the body's immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue)
Systemic lupus erythematosus
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease. In this disease, the immune system of the body mistakenly attacks healthy tissue. It c...
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Tardive dyskinesia (a condition that can be caused by medicines such as antipsychotic drugs)
Tardive dyskinesia
Tardive dyskinesia (TD) is a disorder that involves involuntary movements. Tardive means delayed and dyskinesia means abnormal movement.
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- Other rare disorders
Home Care
Treatment is aimed at the cause of the movements.
- If the movements are due to a medicine, the medicine should be stopped, if possible.
- If the movements are due to a disease, the disorder should be treated.
- If the movements are severe and affect the person's life, medicines such as tetrabenazine may help control them.
Excitement or fatigue can make hyperkinetic movement worse. Rest helps improve chorea. Try to reduce emotional stress.
Safety measures should also be taken to prevent injury from the involuntary movements.
When to Contact a Medical Professional
Contact your health care provider if you have unexplained body motions that are unpredictable and do not go away.
What to Expect at Your Office Visit
The provider will perform a physical exam. This will include a detailed examination of the nervous and muscle systems.
You'll be asked about your medical history and symptoms, including:
- What kind of movement occurs?
- What part of the body is affected?
- What other symptoms are there?
- Is there irritability?
- Is there weakness or paralysis?
Paralysis
Muscle function loss is when a muscle does not work or move normally. The medical term for complete loss of muscle function is paralysis.
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Restlessness
Agitation is an unpleasant state of extreme arousal. An agitated person may feel stirred up, excited, tense, confused, or irritable.
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- Are there facial tics?
Facial tics
A facial tic is a repeated spasm, often involving the eyes and muscles of the face.
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Tests that may be ordered include:
- Blood tests such as metabolic panel, complete blood count (CBC), blood differential
Metabolic panel
The basic metabolic panel is a group of blood tests that provides information about your body's metabolism.
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleComplete blood count
A complete blood count (CBC) test measures the following:The number of white blood cells (WBC count)The number of red blood cells (RBC count)The numb...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleBlood differential
The blood differential test measures the percentage of each type of white blood cell (WBC) that you have in your blood. It also reveals if there are...
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CT scan of the head or affected area
CT scan of the head
A head computed tomography (CT) scan uses many x-rays to create pictures of the head, including the skull, brain, eye sockets, and sinuses.
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EEG (in rare cases)
EEG
An electroencephalogram (EEG) is a test to measure the electrical activity of the brain.
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EMG and nerve conduction velocity (in rare cases)
EMG
Electromyography (EMG) is a test that checks the health of the muscles and the nerves that control the muscles.
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleNerve conduction velocity
Nerve conduction velocity (NCV) is a test to see how fast electrical signals move through a nerve. This test is done along with electromyography (EM...
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Lumbar puncture
Lumbar puncture
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) collection is a test to look at the fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. CSF acts as a cushion, protecting the b...
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MRI of the head or affected area
MRI of the head
A head MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) is an imaging test that uses powerful magnets and radio waves to create pictures of the brain and surrounding...
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Urinalysis
Urinalysis
Urinalysis is the physical, chemical, and microscopic examination of urine. It involves a number of tests to detect and measure various compounds th...
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Treatment is based on the type of hyperkinetic movement disorder the person has. If medicines are used, the provider will decide which medicine to prescribe based on the person's symptoms and test results.
References
Jankovic J, Lang AE. Diagnosis and assessment of Parkinson disease and other movement disorders. In: Jankovic J, Mazziotta JC, Pomeroy SL, Newman NJ, eds. Bradley and Daroff's Neurology in Clinical Practice. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 24.
Okun MS, Lang AE. Other movement disorders. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 382.
Review Date: 1/23/2023
Reviewed By: Joseph V. Campellone, MD, Department of Neurology, Cooper Medical School of Rowan University, Camden, NJ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.