Involuntary Jerking Differential Diagnosis
Single Most Likely Diagnosis
- Essential Myoclonus: This condition is characterized by sudden, brief, shock-like jerks that can occur in any muscle group. It is often inherited and can be exacerbated by stress, fatigue, or certain medications. The diagnosis is typically made based on clinical presentation and family history.
Other Likely Diagnoses
- Anxiety or Stress-Related Myoclonus: Involuntary jerking can be a manifestation of anxiety or stress, often presenting as sudden, brief muscle contractions.
- Caffeine or Medication-Induced Myoclonus: Certain medications, such as SSRIs, and excessive caffeine consumption can cause involuntary jerking.
- Sleep-Related Myoclonus: Nocturnal myoclonus, also known as periodic limb movement disorder, involves involuntary jerking of the legs during sleep.
- Focal Seizures: Seizures originating from a specific area of the brain can cause localized involuntary jerking.
Do Not Miss Diagnoses
- Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis (SSPE): A rare but fatal condition caused by a measles virus infection, characterized by progressive neurological deterioration, including myoclonus.
- Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease: A prion disease that leads to rapid neurological decline, including myoclonus, dementia, and ataxia.
- Whipple's Disease: A rare, systemic bacterial infection that can cause myoclonus, among other symptoms like weight loss, diarrhea, and arthralgias.
- Hashimoto's Encephalopathy: An autoimmune condition associated with Hashimoto's thyroiditis, which can present with myoclonus, seizures, and altered mental status.
Rare Diagnoses
- Dentatorubral-Pallidoluysian Atrophy (DRPLA): A rare genetic disorder characterized by myoclonus, epilepsy, and progressive neurological deterioration.
- Myoclonic Dystonia: A rare condition combining features of dystonia and myoclonus, often with a genetic basis.
- Neurodegeneration with Brain Iron Accumulation (NBIA): A group of rare genetic disorders characterized by iron accumulation in the brain, leading to various neurological symptoms including myoclonus.
- Unverricht-Lundborg Disease: A rare autosomal recessive disorder causing progressive myoclonus epilepsy, often beginning in childhood.