Involuntary Muscle Jerks
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Reviewed By:

Shohei Harase

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

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Reviewed By:

Shohei Harase

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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