Dyskinesia

Abnormal muscular movements. Uncontrollable twitching, jerking, or writhing movements cannot be suppressed and may affect control of voluntary movements. The disorder may involve the whole body or be restricted to a group of muscles. Types of dyskinesia include chorea (jerking movements), athetosis (writhing), choreoathetosis (a combined form), myoclonus (muscle spasms), tics (repetitive fidgets), and tremors. Dyskinesia may result from brain damage at birth or may be a side effect of certain drugs (see tardive dyskinesia), which often disappears when the drug is stopped. Otherwise, dyskinesia is difficult to treat. (See also parkinsonism.)