By: Priyal Sakhuja

Have you ever experienced an involuntary jerking motion that occurs during hiccups? Or perhaps you have unconsciously felt the sudden twitch of your foot while you slept? Rapid, brief contractions of bodily muscles actually happen to be an experience that is common for many. So the question is, when are these jerking movements be considered to be an epileptic seizure (“Myoclonic Seizures”)?

“Myo” means muscle and “clonus” means contraction and relaxation, or jerking and twitching, of muscle. Thus, one can tell if someone is experiencing a myoclonic seizure because it will be followed by brief, shock-like jerks of a muscle or group of muscles (“Myoclonic Seizures”). Typically, those afflicted by myoclonic seizures will react as if hit by a sudden jolt of electricity.

What should one look out for when someone is experiencing a myoclonic seizure (WebMD)?

• The arms, legs, torso, or facial muscles experience jerking movements.
• One or both sides of the body experience jerking motions once or many times in rhythmic or random patterns.
• The person experiencing the seizure usually does not lose consciousness.

This type of epilepsy
seizure usually affects children, but the cause is unknown (idiopathic).
Children and teens would most probably experience these brief jerks either
right after waking up or while falling asleep (WebMD). It is up to medical
history and EEG patterns to help identify these suspects and put them in their
place. 

Sources:

1. http://www.epilepsyfoundation.org/index.cfm.

2. http://www.webmd.com/epilepsy/myoclonic-seizures.