Myoclonic jerk and Hypnagogic jerk

-  What is the difference between and myoclonic jerk and a hypnagocic jerk?

-  For about 3 years now, just when I'm drifing off to sleep I experience a jerking sensation in my head or sometimes in my body.  Sometimes they are very intense, either-way the wake me, even when I'm try to take a nap.  I understand that everyone experinces these, but mine are repetitive. They keep coming.  They scare me because I am jolted awake again and again.  A couple of months ago I started to take a sleeping pill and it does help.  Also I experience tremors in my calves which do not bother me at night.

_  I have had a cat scan of my head and an EEG.  I also went to a sleep clinic but as luck would have it this sensation did not happen that particular night. I was told I sure do move around in my sleep and the dr. thought it was anxiety and depression.

-  About 30 years ago I sustained a head injury due to a car accident.  It affected my right frontal lobe above my eye where there is a build-up of scar tissue.

-  I would like your opinion as to why/how this all of a sudden started and also does it ever go away or how to manage it?

Thank you!

[CCF Neuro[P]-M.D.-RPS]

Dear Shamrock:

Sorry that your having jerking movements.  I will assume that your myoclonic jerks are actual jerks and not just perceived jerks.  Yes, myoclonic jerks and hypnagogic jerks can be the same.  They can both occur into or out of sleep.  They are normal and can be present or absent at any one time.  Myoclonic jerks can also be associated with epilepsy, hypoxia, cervical cord damage, metabolic disease, toxic exposure, etc.  So, one needs to figure out if these are just sleep related events or other types of events.  You might have to repeat the sleep study, or get a video-EEG monitored evaluation to be sure.  Since you have a history of a head trauma, I would bet the latter would be a good first choice.  The length of time that you could have this would depend on the etiology, as would how to manage it.  So, I can't tell you much without  knowing the etiology.

Sincerely,

CCF Neuro MD

[camp]

Systematic relaxation may help to reduce the jerking prior to sleep.

[tarzandaddyman]

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[suki691]

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