Every he althy person is able to control his movements, that is, he can, at will, slow down or speed up the movements of the limbs, change their amplitude and direction of movement. However, the situation changes dramatically if various disorders of the nervous system appear. In particular, if the process affects the area that regulates motor activity, then involuntary movements appear. Consider the main movement disorders associated with this process.
Diseases of the human nervous system
The nervous system, which consists of the central (brain and spinal cord) and peripheral (nerves, nerve processes and endings) systems, regulates all processes occurring in the human body. Violations in its work are manifested by a variety of pathologies affecting both the work of internal organs and systems, and higher nervous activity. This is because the nervous system is extremely branched, and each of its parts is unique. Often one of the symptoms of diseases of the nervous system are movement disorders, including involuntary movements. Generally the most common ofthey are as follows:
- tremor (trembling) - is an involuntary, rhythmic fluctuation of a body part (most often it is the head or hands);
- hyperkinesis - enhanced muscle movements that differ from tremors in greater amplitude;
- myoclonus - sharp, sudden involuntary contractions of muscle groups (startle) that capture the entire body, its upper part or arms.
Essential tremor
This type of tremor is one of the most common forms of involuntary movements. It can manifest itself both in youth and in old age. Often the hereditary factor becomes decisive. This type of involuntary movement is a postural tremor that appears when you change the position of first one hand, then two. It can intensify to the point that it interferes with writing, holding small objects in your hands. Most often this occurs with excitement and after drinking alcohol. The process can involve the head, chin, tongue, as well as the torso and legs. Most often, however, essential tremor is hand tremor. Treatment is not required in most cases. If the tremor is severe and interferes with the normal functioning of a person, as a rule, a neurologist prescribes beta-blockers. If anxiety and anxiety are the precipitating factor causing hand trembling, treatment may include taking tranquilizers.
Parkinson's disease
Another common ailment, a sign of which is a pronounced violationmotor function is Parkinson's disease. This pathology is associated with the gradual death of brain neurons that produce dopamine (a mediator that regulates movement and muscle tone). According to statistics, every hundredth person who has passed the sixty-year milestone is susceptible to this disease. Men get sick more often than women. The causes of the disease have not been studied in detail. For a person diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, treatment, unfortunately, is symptomatic and does not guarantee recovery.
As a rule, the first symptoms of the disease often go unnoticed. As development progresses, there is a decrease in manual dexterity, facial expressions grow thin, and a mask-like face appears. There is also a tremor of the limbs, involuntary head movements, speech is disturbed, the ability to control one's movements. Slow walking can be replaced by an uncontrollable run, which the patient is not able to stop on his own. As time progresses, balance and walking problems worsen.
Treatment
For a disease such as Parkinson's disease, treatment is most often reduced to the use of drugs that slow down the development of the disease. That is why it is so important to identify it at an early stage. When the first symptoms appear, when there is a chance to slow down the destruction of brain neurons, you should seek the advice of a neurologist.
Today, the main drug that slows down the pathological process is Levodopa. It is shared with several other groupsfunds, but, unfortunately, can only slow down the development of the disease. However, active research is currently underway on the possibility of treating Parkinson's disease surgically - transplanting cells capable of producing dopamine into the patient.
Chorea
Another disease characterized by hyperkinesias (uncontrolled movements) is chorea. In a broad sense, it can rather be called a symptom complex, since the causes that cause it can be very different. Chorea is manifested by involuntary waving movements of the limbs, head and trunk. The tongue and facial muscles may also be involved. Often these movements are compared with grimacing, dancing. It is characteristic that during sleep all symptoms completely disappear.
Causes of chorea
As already mentioned, involuntary movements in chorea can be caused by a number of unrelated causes. The most common factors are:
- heredity - many hereditary genetic diseases, such as Konovalov-Wilson disease, have symptoms of chorea;
- CP;
- long-term use of drugs - these can be neuroleptics, antiemetics;
- infectious diseases - often involuntary movements in children (chorea minor) occur after strep throat;
- chronic cerebrovascular insufficiency;
- inflammatory diseases of the brain(vasculitis);
- hormonal disorders (in particular, with insufficient function of the parathyroid glands).
Treatment for chorea depends on the underlying cause. This may be the treatment of the underlying disease, the abolition of the drug or a decrease in its dose if the cause is an overdose, as well as symptomatic treatment for cerebral palsy and insufficient blood supply to the brain. With chorea of any etiology, B vitamins and drugs that improve nutrition and stimulate the brain (neurotrophics, nootropics) are used.
Myoclonus
Another involuntary movement is myoclonus. Most often, this phenomenon can be observed in yourself or those around you when falling asleep. It is also called "night tremors". As a rule, they are absolutely safe, but in some cases they are expressed to such an extent that sleep disturbance occurs. Most often this happens when a person is relaxed and ready to fall asleep. Muscle contractions can provoke noise or other external factors, while the process of falling asleep can be significantly disturbed. Sleep myoclonus usually does not require medical treatment.
The situation becomes much more serious if a person has myoclonic seizures or convulsions. As a rule, they are one of the signs of such a serious disease as epilepsy. A myclonic seizure can cause a fall, during which there is a high risk of fractures or head injury. Attack durationis 1-2 seconds, it starts abruptly and ends abruptly.
Myoclonic spasms are more often manifested by muscle contractions in the arms. In the early stages, only the patient himself notes them, over time they worsen - a person drops objects, cannot hold them in his hands. Most often, such attacks are observed a few hours after waking up. In case of untimely appeal to specialists, the process is generalized, and tonic-clonic convulsions and blackouts join the convulsions in the limbs.
Hyperkinesia in children
Both adults and children can suffer from involuntary movements, while the latter are most typical of tic-like manifestations. Most often, this is expressed in brief repetitive contractions of individual groups of facial muscles. As a rule, such phenomena occur after overwork or excessive excitement of the child. Another common hyperkinesis in children is chorea. It is characterized by periodic twitching of the muscles of the head and shoulder girdle. The main reason is usually the child's stress, which may be an insignificant event from the point of view of an adult. That is why parents need to be attentive to the slightest manifestations of involuntary movements in their children.
As you can see, a he althy person is capable of both voluntary and involuntary movements. However, if they begin to affect the quality of life, a consultation with a neurologist is necessary.
