Twitching

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Twitching" is also another word for birdwatching.

Twitching, in medical terminology, refers to a type of involuntary muscle contraction. A twitch differs from a reflex muscle contraction in that a twitch tends to be repetitive, unwanted, lacking obvious cause, and is not considered part of the normal operation of the body.

[edit] Causes

Among the chief causes of a twitch are:

• Pinched nerve or other nerve injury.
• Stimulant abuse.
• Parkinson's disease.
• Epilepsy.
• Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
• Benign fasciculation syndrome.

Twitching can also develop as a habitual behavior, being a sign of no specific disorder.

Because twitching may be a sign of serious illness, it is highly recommended that individuals experiencing prolonged twitching seek medical attention.

[edit] See Also

• tic (a similar but more voluntary action)