Movement Disorders Defined
The most common movement disorders include:
- Tremor is a rhythmic
oscillating movement across a joint that may occur while standing, resting or
with movement. It may be seen with a variety of diseases such as essential
tremor and Parkinson's
disease.
- Chorea is an
abnormal chaotic movement that flits from one body part to another without
predictability. Disorders such as Huntington's disease and tardive dyskinesia may exhibit chorea.
- Dystonia describes an abnormal muscle contraction producing a distorted posture or
pain. This may be limited to one body part such as the neck in cervical dystonia
(torticollis) or generalized in some hereditary dystonias.
- Myoclonus is a lightening-like muscle jerk that may occur in a focal body part or in a generalized fashion. It may be associated with metabolic disarray or with significant head trauma.
- Tics are stereotypic non-purposeful movements or sounds. They mostly occur in children and can occur with certain conditions such as Tourette's syndrome.
