Involuntary Muscle Jerks
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Reviewed By:
Shohei Harase, MD (Neurology)
Dr. Harase spent his junior and senior high school years in Finland and the U.S. After graduating from the University of Washington (Bachelor of Science, Molecular and Cellular Biology), he worked for Apple Japan Inc. before entering the University of the Ryukyus School of Medicine. He completed his residency at Okinawa Prefectural Chubu Hospital, where he received the Best Resident Award in 2016 and 2017. In 2021, he joined the Department of Cerebrovascular Medicine at the National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, specializing in hyperacute stroke.
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Limbs on one side of the body jerk when / just after waking up
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Content updated on Jan 4, 2023
About the symptom
It refers to sudden, brief involuntary twitching or jerking of a muscle or group of muscles.
When to see a doctor
Seek professional care if you experience any of the following symptoms
Involuntary muscle jerks
Possible causes
- Paroxysmal exercise-induced dance athetosis
This movement disorder causes involuntary, irregular, unpredictable muscle movements induced by exercise. It can make someone appear as if they're dancing, restless, or fidgety.
Related serious diseases
- Juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (Jantz syndrome)
Juvenile myoclonic epilepsy is an epilepsy syndrome marked by quick jerks of the arms or legs, generalized seizures, and occasionally, absence seizures. These often happen when people first wake up in the morning. The exact cause is unknown, but a family history of epilepsy or gene mutations may sometimes be connected to the condition.
- Eclampsia
Other Related Symptoms
Similar symptoms or complaints
Symptoms from the same body system / part
Symptoms treated by the same specialty
Reviewed By:
Shohei Harase, MD (Neurology)
Dr. Harase spent his junior and senior high school years in Finland and the U.S. After graduating from the University of Washington (Bachelor of Science, Molecular and Cellular Biology), he worked for Apple Japan Inc. before entering the University of the Ryukyus School of Medicine. He completed his residency at Okinawa Prefectural Chubu Hospital, where he received the Best Resident Award in 2016 and 2017. In 2021, he joined the Department of Cerebrovascular Medicine at the National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, specializing in hyperacute stroke.
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Seiji Kanazawa, MD, PHD
Obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN)
National Center for Child Health and Development, Japan