• Involuntary movements include tremors, muscle spasms, tics, and others.
  • Some medical conditions that affect muscles, nerves, the brain, or spinal cord can cause them, such as multiple sclerosis, movement disorders, or low blood sugar.
  • You can experience these movements in almost any part of the body, including the neck, face, and limbs.

An involuntary movement occurs when your body moves in an involuntary and unintended way. These movements can be anything from quick, jerking tics to longer tremors and seizures.

You need to get medical attention for persistent, recurrent, or worsening patterns of involuntary movements. This article details common types and causes of involuntary movements.

There are several types of involuntary movements, all with varying causes.

1. Tardive dyskinesia (TD)

Tardive dyskinesia (TD) is a neurological condition. It originates in the brain and occurs with the use of neuroleptic drugs. Doctors prescribe these drugs to treat psychiatric disorders, as well as nausea.

People with TD often exhibit involuntary repetitive facial movements. These may include:

  • grimacing
  • protruding tongue
  • smacking of the lips
  • puckering of the lips
  • pursing of the lips
  • prolonged, tight closing of the eyelids

2. Tremors

Tremors are rhythmic movements of a body part. They’re due to sporadic muscle contractions. People may experience tremors in response to factors such as:

However, tremors may also occur with chronic underlying conditions, such as:

3. Myoclonus

Myoclonus is characterized by quick, shock-like jerking movements. They may occur naturally during sleep and at moments when you’re startled.

Myoclonus is a common symptom of various neurological conditions, including meningitis or encephalitis, which are infections or inflammations of the brain or its surrounding tissues.

Sometimes myoclonus can be a main feature of seizures of a type of epilepsy called myoclonic epilepsy. And myoclonus can also occur as part of neurodegenerative conditions, including Huntington’s disease and multisystem atrophy.

4. Tics

Tics are sudden, repetitive movements that can be motor or vocal-based. They’re classified as simple or complex, depending on whether they involve a smaller or larger number of muscle groups.

Rapid involuntary shrugging of your shoulders or a quick involuntary movement of one side of your face are examples of a simple tic.

In young people, tics most often occur with Tourette syndrome.

Tourette syndrome can be a lifelong condition, and the symptoms may fluctuate over time, often worsening with fatigue or stress. If you’re living with Tourette syndrome, the tics are involuntary, but you may be able to stifle them to some extent for a few minutes at a time.

The most common causes of adult-onset tics are stroke, head trauma, drug use, movement disorders (especially Huntington’s disease and multi-system atrophy), and drug use or drug withdrawal.

5. Athetosis

This refers to slow, writhing movements. This type of involuntary movement most often affects the hands and arms.

Athetosis typically occurs due to:

  • cerebral palsy
  • medication side effects
  • drug use or withdrawal
  • brain damage
  • stroke

With athetosis, you may experience repeating symptoms in the same region of the body. Symptoms typically occur in the hands, arms, and feet. Less common symptom locations include the neck, tongue, face, and torso.

6. Muscle spasms (dystonia)

Muscle spasms are uncontrolled contractions in the muscles. Symptoms may involve cramping, shaking, and other involuntary movements.

Muscle spasms can be sustained for a few seconds at a time. They may affect an isolated muscle or several at a time. They typically occur due to damage in the central nervous system. They are common after stroke, with MS, with spinal cord damage, and in cerebral palsy.

In general, involuntary movement suggests damage to nerves or areas of your brain that affect motor coordination. However, a variety of underlying conditions can produce involuntary movement.

In children

In children, some of the most common causes of involuntary movements are:

Kernicterus is now rarely seen in the United States due to routine bilirubin screening of all newborns.

In adults

In adults, some of the most common causes of involuntary movements include:

  • brain tumors
  • brain injury
  • stroke
  • movement disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease
  • myoclonic seizures
  • hyperthyroidism
  • cerebral palsy
  • spinal cord injury
  • encephalitis or meningitis
  • genetic disorders, including Huntington’s disease and Wilson’s disease
  • use of neuroleptic medications prescribed for psychiatric disorders over a long period
  • drug use

Different types of prescription and illicit drugs may cause TD. These may include:

  • Neuroleptics: These are the most common cause of drug-induced involuntary movements. They’re typically prescribed for mental health conditions like schizophrenia.
  • Antidepressants: These are prescribed for mental health disorders like anxiety, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
  • Anticholinergics: These medications may be prescribed to help relieve symptoms in people living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bladder control issues, and Parkinson’s disease.
  • Antiemetics: These may help treat nausea and acid reflux.
  • Anticonvulsants: These medications help prevent seizures associated with epilepsy. In rare cases, carbamazepine and lamotrigine may lead to TD.
  • Antihistamines: These medications help prevent allergy symptoms and allergic reactions.
  • Decongestants: The medications pseudoephedrine and phenylephrine may help treat the common cold and flu.
  • Antimalarials: These medications may help treat or prevent malaria. This disease is typically transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito.
  • Anxiolytics: These drugs are prescribed to help treat anxiety disorders and prevent anxiety symptoms.
  • Stimulants: Some prescription and illicit stimulant drugs may cause involuntary movements. Some drugs may include amphetamines, methylphenidate, and cocaine.

Speak with a doctor if you take any of these drugs and experience new, involuntary movements. They may recommend you stop taking the medication and suggest an alternative option.

Make an appointment with a doctor if you or your child is experiencing persistent, involuntary body movements and is unsure of the cause.

Your appointment will most likely begin with a comprehensive medical interview. A doctor will likely review your personal and family medical history, including any medications you’ve been taking or have taken.

Other questions may include:

  • When and how did the movements start?
  • What body parts are being affected?
  • What seems to make the movements worse or better?
  • Does stress affect these movements?
  • How often are the movements taking place?
  • Are the movements getting worse over time?

It’s important to mention any other symptoms you may have along with these involuntary movements. Other symptoms and your responses to a doctor’s questions are very helpful in deciding the best course of treatment.

Diagnostic tests

Depending on the suspected cause, a doctor could order one or more medical tests. These may include a variety of blood tests, such as:

A doctor could also request:

Your treatment plan may vary depending on the underlying cause and severity of your involuntary movement.

If you have muscle spasms,

If your symptoms only affect one or a few muscle groups, injected muscle relaxants can sometimes be more effective with fewer side effects.

The treatment of tremors depends on the underlying cause, and tics are often treated with neuroleptic medications. If you have tardive dyskinesia, sometimes the symptoms can go away if your doctor adjusts the medication that’s causing it, and there are also prescription treatments that can help treat tardive dyskinesia.

Physical activity

Physical activity within a doctor’s guidelines may also help enhance your coordination and slow muscle damage. Possible forms of physical activity include:

You may find support and self-help groups helpful if you have involuntary movements. Ask a doctor for assistance in finding and joining these types of groups.

Involuntary movements can range from quick twitches to longer tremors and seizures. They can occur anywhere on the body, such as in the neck, face, and limbs.

There are many different causes of involuntary movements, and the cause can be identified with assessment of your medical history, physical examination, and diagnostic testing.

If you experience an involuntary movement more than once, speak with a doctor to rule out an underlying medical condition.