Movement Disorders

Movement disorder symptoms include the following – and will appear in different patterns depending on the underlying cause, and the individual:

• being unsteady on your feet – having balance problems

• stiffness that affects your limbs and trunk – and may affect your gait

• shaking – known as tremor

• a jerky ‘patterned’ repetitive movement of a muscle group – known as dystonia

• a repetitive, brief, irregular, involuntary movement that can make you look restless or fidgety – known as chorea

• body jolts, jerks, twitches, or sounds caused by fast, repetitive muscle movements – known as tics (this might include head jerking, blinking, scrunching up the face, grunting, or repeating words or phrases)

• clumsy, awkward movements due to difficulty with coordination – known as ataxia

• a quick jerking movement that you can't control – known as myoclonus

• slow, twisting, or squirming motions often with hands and feet – known as athetosis

• forcefully flinging out an arm or leg – known as ballism

Some movement disorders are seen as a condition in their own right, but can also be the symptom of another health condition, such as Parkinson’s Disease. Examples of this include myoclonus, ataxia and dystonia.

When the areas of your brain that control movement are not working properly or have been damaged, it affects your movement – creating movement disorders. This can happen for a number of reasons, including:

• neurological syndromes and diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease,  essential tremor (ET),  restless legs syndrome (RLS), cerebral palsy, ataxia disorders, dystonia, tic disorders such as Tourette’s syndrome, and epilepsy

• genetics – family history influences many conditions, including  Huntington’s disease, dementia with Lewy bodies, and Rett syndrome, a rare genetic condition

• some auto-immune disorders, including systemic lupus erythematosus,  autoimmune encephalitis, and coeliac disease

• brain injury – caused by repeated head trauma,  infection,  lack of blood flow to the brain, sometimes caused by a stroke, or brain tumour

• some medications – including antipsychotic medications used to treat conditions including dementia, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and major depressive disorder, and antiseizure medications used for conditions including epilepsy

• lifestyle issues – such as lack of vitamin B1, B12 or E, which can cause ataxia, or  large amounts of alcohol and illegal drugs

Diagnosing movement disorders and their underlying causes usually involves an initial consultation where our neurology specialist will: 

1. Take a medical history to understand your health.

2. Get a full understanding of your symptoms and how they affect you – for example, what they are, what makes them worse or better, if there are specific triggers, and how they affect your daily life, such as sleeping and working.

3. Assess your symptoms on the day, and possibly at repeat consultations.

4. Review any previous notes or scans.

5. Talk through their initial findings and what will happen next.

6. They may recommend further tests and scans, such as:

• blood tests

• brain function tests, such as an electroencephalogram (EEG), to check the electrical activity of your brain

• brain imaging scans, such as CT or MRI

• nerve function checks, such as nerve conduction tests and electromyography (EMG)

• lumbar puncture to analyse your cerebrospinal fluid

• muscle biopsy to distinguish between nerve and muscle conditions

There’s no obvious way to prevent movement disorders, as their causes are so varied and complex. Basic things you can do include:

• eating a balanced diet, and living a healthy lifestyle, as this may reduce the risk of some conditions, such as stroke

• protecting your head from injury during sports or activities

• seeking help as soon as possible for your symptoms – early intervention can slow the progression of some movement disorders

Complications can be the frustrating effects on everyday activities, and concerns about socialising may increase the risk of low mood and anxiety.

If you’re diagnosed with a health condition that brings specific complications, your consultant will talk these through with you and create a personalised plan to reduce your risk whenever possible.

Treatment options depend on your specific health issues. It may be that treating an underlying condition is key to reducing your movement disorder symptoms. Treatments to relieve and help control symptoms can include:

• medications in tablet form – from muscle relaxants to condition-specific treatments

• injections into the overactive muscles (botulinum toxin)

• surgery options, including deep brain stimulation

• lifestyle modification advice

• physiotherapy to help manage stiffness and improve balance

• occupational therapy to help you manage daily tasks and activities, and work out if mobility aids could help

• speech and language therapy, which can also help improve swallowing

• psychological therapy can help with conditions that might contribute, such as stress, anxiety, ADHD, Tourette’s, and support you as you cope with a long-term condition

At Welbeck, our neurology specialists are experts in their field and are dedicated to providing world-class care to every patient.

With access to colleagues across other specialties, our consultants are also able to refer within the Welbeck ecosystem if required to ensure you receive the treatment you need as quickly as possible, all under one roof.  

All appointments, testing, treatment, and follow-up appointments take place within our state-of-the-art facilities, enabling us to deliver accurate diagnostics and advanced treatments.

Your health is important to us, so we strive to offer same-day appointments whenever possible.

Our consultants are recognised by the major health insurance companies. If you have private health insurance, your treatment at Welbeck can begin once you have obtained authorisation. We also provide care to self-paying patients. Learn more about the different payment options at Welbeck.

Get in touch today to book an appointment.