Jerking Head

Jerking Head

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I experience continual gentle head jerks noticing especially when concentrating on eg. watching TV, talking to someone in my job or beingsitting in meetings.  Jerks don't happen while I'm asleep.  I do need to relax position my neck so that it is relaxed in a good position.  I sleep on a towel that I can shape to relax my neck.  Often I have to hold my head still with my hand under my chin to control the head jerking.
I am 51y and have had this happening to me for 2 years.  It's gradually getting worse.  I used to suffer from migranes for years.  I had a mitral valve replacement in 2008, since I have been getting migranes often but most often without pain.  Also my body at times feels slow, out of energy and stiff.  I also suffer from lower back pain at times. Also my daughter who is 26 has gentle head jerking but her head goes from side to side unlike my head jerks down and up.
I am concerned about this condition getting worse and would love to know why the jerking is happening and what should I do.

I am a 14-year-old female in perfect health except for asthma. I can never remember a time when I've "shivered" in cold weather. I've not...

I’ve been have these twitches/jerking in my body! Sometimes slight, sometimes pretty good jerk! Prior to it jerking I can feel somethin...

I developed a sudden onset of a movement disorder after taking two 300 mg doses of Gabapentin. After seeing colorful pinpoints of light, ...

I have posted here before because of my anxiety related symptoms.at the beginning of last year i experienced what felt like tingling iny ...

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my son age (5) has been throwing his head back fifteen to twenty times within a three min period every like 30 to 35 min, I took him to the doctor but he did nothing told me his adhd could be the cause, never gave him a x-ray nor did anything about this told me to take him to center stone which is only for his adhd, said he was probably doing it for attention, but I know he is NOT doing it for attention I have been recording him doing this, it gets worse when he watches tv or playing a game!!! I need answers this is not normal for a child

Headaches, heart muscle problems, fatigue, muscle stiffness, muscle pain, tics, twitches, spasms, etc. can be caused by a magnesium deficiency.  Magnesium is essential to healthy muscle and nerve function and relaxation.

Do some google research on magnesium deficiency and you will find a wealth of information.

Some of the safer and more effective forms of magnesium include: Taurate, Glycinate, and Citrate (latter can be laxitative -- take with food).

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I am a 14-year-old female in perfect health except for asthma. I can never remember a time when I've "shivered" in cold weather. I've not...

I’ve been have these twitches/jerking in my body! Sometimes slight, sometimes pretty good jerk! Prior to it jerking I can feel somethin...

I developed a sudden onset of a movement disorder after taking two 300 mg doses of Gabapentin. After seeing colorful pinpoints of light, ...

I have posted here before because of my anxiety related symptoms.at the beginning of last year i experienced what felt like tingling iny ...

John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO Jun 08

John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO 12/20

John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO 04/18

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National Institutes of Health (NIH)
9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD, 20892
Myoclonus Fact Sheet (pdf, 621 KB) (pdf, 607 kb)
Myoclonus refers to sudden, brief involuntary twitching or jerking of a muscle or group of muscles. It describes a clinical sign and is not itself a disease. The twitching cannot be stopped or controlled by the person experiencing it. Myoclonus can begin in childhood or adulthood, with symptoms ranging from mild to severe.
Myoclonic twitches or jerks are caused by:
Myoclonus can be broadly categorized into:
Myoclonus can occur by itself or as one of several symptoms associated with a wide variety of nervous system disorders. For example, myoclonic jerks may develop in individuals with multiple sclerosis or epilepsy, and with neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, or Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.
Myoclonus may also be seen in conjunction with infection, head or spinal cord injury, stroke, brain tumors, kidney or liver failure, chemical or drug intoxication, or metabolic disorders. Prolonged oxygen deprivation to the brain, called hypoxia, may lead to post-hypoxic myoclonus.
Classifying myoclonus is difficult because the causes and responses to therapy vary widely. Some of the commonly described types are:
Studies suggest that the following locations in the brain are involved in myoclonus:
However, the specific mechanisms underlying myoclonus are not yet fully understood:
Neurotransmitters carry messages between nerve cells. They are released by one nerve cell and attach to a protein called a receptor on neighboring (receiving) cells. Abnormalities or deficiencies in receptors for certain neurotransmitters may contribute to some forms of myoclonus, including receptors for:
More research is needed to determine how these receptor abnormalities cause or contribute to myoclonus.
Following a review of the person’s medical history and physical exam, a physician may order additional tests to confirm the diagnosis of myoclonus:
The first consideration is reversing or treating any underlying cause or origin of the myoclonus. However, many cases require symptomatic treatment if the myoclonus is disabling.
Several options are available to help treat myoclonus:
The mission of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke ( NINDS ) is to seek fundamental knowledge about the brain and nervous system and to use that knowledge to reduce the burden of neurological disease. NINDS is a component of the National Institutes of Health, the leading federal supporter of biomedical research in the world. As part of its mission, the NINDS supports research on myoclonus at its laboratories in Bethesda, Maryland and through grants to major research institutions across the country.
In addition to NINDS , other NIH institutes and centers support research on movement disorders that include myoclonus. More information is available through the NIH RePORTER , a searchable database of current and previously funded research, as well as research results and publications.
Many neurological disorders do not have effective treatment options. Clinical studies offer hope for many people and an opportunity to help researchers find better ways to safely detect, treat, or prevent disease. For more information about finding and participating in a clinical study, visit Clinicaltrials.gov . Use the search term “myoclonus” to find trials on this disorder.
The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke conducts and support a wide range of research on neurological disorders, including myoclonus.  For information on other neurological disorders or research programs funded by the NINDS , contact in the Institute’s Brain Resources and Information Network ( BRAIN ) at:
BRAIN
P.O. Box 5801
Bethesda, MD 20824
800-352-9424
Interested individuals may wish to contact the following organizations for additional information:
National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) (link is external)
55 Kenosia Avenue
Danbury, CT 06813-1968
203-744-0100
800-999-6673
MedlinePlus
U.S. National Library of Medicine, NIH
Prepared by:
Office of Communications and Public Liaison
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
National Institutes of Health
Bethesda, MD 20892
NINDS health-related material is provided for information purposes only and does not necessarily represent endorsement by or an official position of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke or any other Federal agency. Advice on the treatment or care of an individual patient should be obtained through consultation with a physician who has examined that patient or is familiar with that patient's medical history.
All NINDS-prepared information is in the public domain and may be freely copied. Credit to the NINDS or the NIH is appreciated.

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Caviness JN. Treatment of myoclonus. Neurotherapeutics. 2014;11:188.
Mills K, et al. An update and review on the treatment of myoclonus. Current Neurology and Neuroscience Report. 2015;15:512.
Ferri FF. Myoclonus. In: Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2019. Philadelphia, Pa.: Elsevier; 2019. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Nov. 15, 2018.
Myoclonus fact sheet. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. https://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/myoclonus/detail_myoclonus.htm?c. Accessed Nov. 15, 2018.
Caviness JN. Classification and evaluation of myoclonus. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed Nov. 15, 2018.
Sutter R, et al. Myoclonus in the critically ill: Diagnosis, management, and clinical impact. Clinical Neurophysiology. 2016;127:67.
Caviness JN. Treatment of myoclonus. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed Nov. 15, 2018.
Riggin EA. Allscripts EPSi. Mayo Clinic. Oct. 23, 2020.
Caviness JN (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic. Dec. 4, 2020.
Rabano-Suarez P, et al. Generalized myoclonus in COVID-19. American Academy of Neurology. 2020; doi:10.1212/WNL.0000000000009829.

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