How can doctors tell the difference between sleep myoclonus and seizures?

Doctors use several methods to tell the difference between sleep myoclonus and seizures. Sleep myoclonus usually occurs during sleep and involves quick, sudden jerks. These movements are often harmless and don't cause confusion or memory loss. Seizures, on the other hand, can happen at any time and might include shaking, confusion, or loss of awareness.

To help tell them apart, doctors might use an EEG test, which looks at brain waves. In sleep myoclonus, the EEG often looks normal, while seizures show specific abnormal patterns.

Doctors also look at when the movements happen, how long they last, and what the person feels like afterward. This information, combined with test results, helps doctors make the right diagnosis.