New Health Advisor
Involuntary movements refer to motions of the body that cannot be controlled and occur of its own volition. Such movement can occur anywhere on the body, e.g. any limb, neck, face, etc. In some cases this lasts for a short time and remedies itself, but sometimes it is persistent and gets worse with time. We are going to look at the different types, causes and ways to deal with it.
The term Involuntary Movements refers to a broad range of motions and these are divided into types as shown below.
This occurs when the body experiences an unpleasant sensation that urges movement in the legs, torso, head or arms. Movement of that part, walking, stretching or yoga can stop the sensation for a short while, but it can return later. The sensations that can be experienced are aching, tickling, crawling of the skin, poking of pins, slight pain or numbing of the part. This is generally noticed while relaxing, studying, attempting to sleep or reading.
This can be caused by unrelenting contractions of the muscle and can cause repeated motion, twisting of limbs or awkward postures. Symptoms indicating dystonia include dropping items, trouble swallowing, dropping items, muscle cramps, trouble in sitting comfortably, shaking in the diaphragm when inhaling, difficulty sleeping, tiredness, stress, uncontrollable shutting of eye lids and hyperventilation. Its treatment only offers symptomatic relief and includes stress control, relaxation, regular exercise and limited motion.
Another type of involuntary movements in the muscles is myoclonus. Sudden jerks can be caused by rapid contracting of the muscle or unexpected lulls in contractions. Negative myoclonus refers to relaxations of muscles and conversely contractions are positive myoclonus. These spasms may or may not occur in a pattern or sequence. Sometimes they occur several times a minute, while at other times they are separated by large time gaps. Strong twitching can inhibit motion and restrict the ability to perform various daily functions.
Repeated and stuttering motions of separate groups of muscles are known as Tics. These are generally sudden and can be noticed in different parts of the body, such as motions in parts of the face, twitches of limbs, involuntary clapping, uncontrollable shrugs, blinking and motions of the mouth.
Rhythmic relaxing and contracting of muscles which lead to forward and backward motion of some body parts are called tremors. Parts of the body that can be affected are the limbs, face, tongue, eyes, head and torso. These motions become accentuated when the person is undergoing stress or heavy emotion. It can also cause trembling when vocalizing and cause trouble doing physical work like drawing, writing or holding utensils.
Such uncontrollable motions can occur due to various factors. Sometimes it is temporary and disappears over a short period, but in some cases it may be a permanent condition due to damage of the central nervous system, and it gets worse with time.
Both children and adults can be affected. In adults, a genetic disorder, impact of medicinal drugs, a stroke, tumors, brain injury or diseases of the nervous system could be the culprits. However in children it could be caused by reduced oxygen at birth, excess bilirubin in the nervous system or genetic disorders.
If your involuntary movements bother you, you need take measures to alleviate that. Here are measures that might help:
Generally such movements can be controlled with physical exercises like stretching, walking, swimming or exercises that help with coordination, and these can help control progressing damage.
It is important to develop a support group to help fight the psychological impact of such involuntary movements. Repeated instances of uncontrollable motions that relentlessly recur require medical attention. Authorized personnel will be able to provide an accurate diagnosis after studying the history of the patient, symptoms and results of any prescribed tests. While many cases of uncontrollable motion can be improved with a course of medicines, some cases improve on themselves. A doctor will be able to provide a wealth of information about the muscle and nervous systems of the body, and prescribe the treatment required.
At times these motions can be ignored and serve as merely irritants; however, in some cases they can seriously hamper one's lifestyle. In such cases, exercise can help. Here are some steps that can help stop these motions:
