Loss of muscle function may be caused by: A disease of the muscle itself (myopathy) A disease of the area where the muscle and nerve meet (neuromuscular junction) A disease of the nervous system: Nerve damage (neuropathy), spinal cord injury (myelopathy), or brain damage (stroke or other brain injury)
What causes uncontrolled muscle movements?
- Involuntary movements, better known as uncontrollable and unintended jerking, tics, or muscle twitches may occur for many reasons. These include nerve damage (which may cause muscle spasms), drug use, tumors, brain injury, stroke, or long-term use of neuroleptic medications. The movements may be minor and infrequent, or dramatic and ongoing.
Why does my body jerk at random times?
- Myoclonic twitches or jerks usually are caused by sudden muscle contractions (tightening), called positive myoclonus, or by muscle relaxation, called negative myoclonus. Myoclonic jerks may occur alone or in sequence, in a pattern of movement or without pattern. They may occur infrequently or many times per minute.
What is the function of involuntary muscles?
- The function of the involuntary muscles is to cause variations in shape or inner diameter of the organs (movement of substances inside the body, favoring possible passageways or the exclusion of contents). Their contraction is regulated by the autonomic nervous system.
What causes uncontrollable body movements?
- - Having a mood disorder, such as depression or bipolar disorder - Having a parent or sibling with a mood disorder, in people who have schizophrenia - Having other movements caused by certain medications - A history of alcohol or drug abuse - Being 50 years of age or older or, for women, being postmenopausal
Ataxia is a degenerative disorder affecting the brain, brainstem or spinal cord. This can result in clumsiness, inaccuracy, instability, imbalance, tremor or a lack of coordination while performing voluntary movements. Movements are not smooth and may appear disjointed or jerky.