Uncontrollable Movements

About the Symptom

An involuntary movement is when your body moves in an uncontrolled way. These can include small jerking motions, tremors, or larger limb movements. They usually happen due to problems with the brain or spinal cord.

When to See a Doctor

Seek professional care if you experience any of the following symptoms

• Uncontrollable movements

Possible Causes

Generally, Uncontrollable movements can be related to:

• Spiny Red Cell Chorea

  Spiny red cell chorea, also known as chorea-acanthocytosis or Levine-Critchley syndrome, is a very rare neurological disorder characterized by high numbers of misshapen, spiny red blood cells (acanthocytes) circulating in the bloodstream, combined with rapid, involuntary, purposeless movements (chorea). Additional symptoms can include include seizures and odd behavior. The disorder is caused by a mutation on the VPS13A gene and runs in families.

• Sydenham Chorea

  Sydenham chorea is a rare neurological disorder characterized by sudden onset abnormal movements that occur after infection with group A streptococcus bacteria. Most people are affected during childhood. Movements are random, continuous, and involuntary, sometimes affecting the entire body. The disease is thought to occur because antibodies against group A streptococcus cross-react with nerve cells in the basal ganglia, a structure in the brain that fine-tunes voluntary movements.

• Paroxysmal Kinesigenic Dyskinesia

  Paroxysmal exercise-induced dyskinesia (PED) is a movement disorder that is characterized by involuntary, irregular, unpredictable muscle movements triggered by exercise. People with PED appear as if they are dancing, restless, or fidgety. This disorder is caused by a mutation in the SLC2A1 gene.

• Parkinson's Disease
• Tics
• Moyamoya Disease
• Alcohol Dependence / Delirium Tremens

Related Serious Diseases

Sometimes, Uncontrollable movements may be related to these serious diseases:

• Epilepsy

  Epilepsy is a neurological disorder where brain activity becomes abnormal, causing seizures of varying durations and severities. It can affect people of any age and may be caused by genetic disorders or brain injuries, such as stroke.

• Febrile Seizure
• Niemann-Pick Disease

Doctor's Diagnostic Questions

Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this symptom:

• Do you have uncontrollable movements in your hands, legs, or face?
• Do uncontrollable movements cause you to walk or wander subconsciously?
• How are your uncontrollable movements now?
• How long have you had uncontrollable movements or spasms of hands, legs, or facial muscles?
• Have you experienced uncontrollable movements or spasms of hands, legs, or facial muscles before?

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