RE: defining spasticity/clonus

[Guest guest]

-Jeanie, Dolores gave a great explanation. The jerking was one of the

first symptoms I had in my legs. I would wake my husband up too. The

baclofen has stopped most of it, but I do get them once in awhile,

but not as violent as before the medicine.-- In PLS-

FRIENDS , " Dolores Carron " <d.carron@w...> wrote:

> Jeanie,

> I posted this little explanation awhile ago in response to a new

member's

> question about clonus. It may help you understand what you are

experiencing.

> Dolores

>

> > Spasticity is a neurological condition causing an abnormal

increase in

> > muscle tone that occurs when that muscle is stretched. It occurs

when

> > muscles receive improper nerve signals causing them to contract

(become

> > shorter, or flexed) when they should relax (remain unflexed). We

describe

> > our sensation as 'being stiff' or having 'stiffness'.

> >

> > Contracture and clonus are two symptoms of spasticity.

> >

> > Contracture is a permanent muscle shortening, leading to

deformity and can

> > prevent normal range of motion.

> >

> > Clonus is characterized by sudden, abrupt, brief, involuntary

jerk-like

> > contractions of a muscle or muscle group. The term 'myoclonus' is

often

> used

> > interchangeably with clonus. The prefix " myo " denotes muscle

and " clonus "

> > refers to the abnormal contractions. An example of clonus or

myoclonus is

> > how your knee jumps up and down when you are getting out of bed

and put

> your

> > feet down on the floor quickly. Physical therapists determine the

severity

> > of clonus by the number of beats that occur when this happens.

> >

> > Dolores

[Guest guest]

Delores,

Your explanation of spasticity and clonus seems very clear. How would you

define " spasm " and differentiate it from the other two? One of my doctors

always askes how my spasms have been. I always tell him I don't have spasms,

but he seems to think if I have spasticity, I also have spasms. Is there a

difference? And how are " fasciculations " related?

Thanks,

Don

defining spasticity/clonus

Jeanie,

I posted this little explanation awhile ago in response to a new member's

question about clonus. It may help you understand what you are experiencing.

Dolores

> Spasticity is a neurological condition causing an abnormal increase in

> muscle tone that occurs when that muscle is stretched. It occurs when

> muscles receive improper nerve signals causing them to contract (become

> shorter, or flexed) when they should relax (remain unflexed). We describe

> our sensation as 'being stiff' or having 'stiffness'.

>

> Contracture and clonus are two symptoms of spasticity.

>

> Contracture is a permanent muscle shortening, leading to deformity and can

> prevent normal range of motion.

>

> Clonus is characterized by sudden, abrupt, brief, involuntary jerk-like

> contractions of a muscle or muscle group. The term 'myoclonus' is often

used

> interchangeably with clonus. The prefix " myo " denotes muscle and " clonus "

> refers to the abnormal contractions. An example of clonus or myoclonus is

> how your knee jumps up and down when you are getting out of bed and put

your

> feet down on the floor quickly. Physical therapists determine the severity

> of clonus by the number of beats that occur when this happens.

>

> Dolores

[Guest guest]

Don,

You ask a very good question because understanding these terms will make it

much easier for you to communicate with your doctors about what you are

personally dealing with and what medication would be of the most benefit to

your given situation.

This is the best information I know of to explain the subtle differences.

Basically Spasticity is a condition of muscles that causes Muscle spasms

which are like cramps and fasciculation are more like twitching.

Spasticity is a condition in which certain muscles are continuously

contracted. This contraction causes stiffness or tightness of the muscles

and may interfere with movement, speech, and manner of walking. Spasticity

is usually caused by damage to the portion of the brain or spinal cord that

controls voluntary movement. It may occur in association with spinal cord

injury, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, damage to the brain because of

lack of oxygen, brain trauma, severe head injury, and metabolic diseases

such as adrenoleukodystrophy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s

disease), and phenylketonuria. Symptoms may include hypertonicity (increased

muscle tone), clonus (a series of rapid muscle contractions), exaggerated

deep tendon reflexes, muscle spasms, scissoring (involuntary crossing of the

legs), and fixed joints. The degree of spasticity varies from mild muscle

stiffness to severe, painful, and uncontrollable muscle spasms. Spasticity

can interfere with rehabilitation in patients with certain disorders, and

often interferes with daily activities.

Muscle cramps are involuntary and often painful contractions of the muscles

which produce a hard, bulging muscle.Muscle twitching (fasciculation) is the

result of spontaneous local muscle contractions that are involuntary and

typically only affect individual muscle groups connected to (innervated by)

a particular motor neuron. This twitching does not cause pain.

Common causes

Muscle spasms can cause cramps and are usually brought on by the following:

Muscle fatigue

Heavy exercise

Dehydration

Pregnancy

Hypothyroidism

Depleted magnesium or calcium stores or other metabolic abnormalities

Alcoholism

Kidney failure leading to uremia

Medications

Muscle twitching may lead to cramping and may involve the following:

Benign, nonpathologic fasciculations (not caused by disease or disorders)

often affect the eyelids, calf or thumb

normal and quite common, often triggered by stress, anxiety

Diet deficiency

Side effects of drugs, especially diuretics or caffeine

More serious causes of fasciculations such as motor neuron disease, muscle

diseases, or denervation are usually accompanied by weakness and atrophy of

the affected muscle group as well as other signs and symptoms.

I hope that helps.

Shell Fisch

>Delores,

>

>Your explanation of spasticity and clonus seems very clear. How would you

>define " spasm " and differentiate it from the other two? One of my doctors

>always askes how my spasms have been. I always tell him I don't have

>spasms,

>but he seems to think if I have spasticity, I also have spasms. Is there a

>difference? And how are " fasciculations " related?

>

>Thanks,

>Don

>

> defining spasticity/clonus

>

>

>Jeanie,

>I posted this little explanation awhile ago in response to a new member's

>question about clonus. It may help you understand what you are

>experiencing.

>Dolores

>

> > Spasticity is a neurological condition causing an abnormal increase in

> > muscle tone that occurs when that muscle is stretched. It occurs when

> > muscles receive improper nerve signals causing them to contract (become

> > shorter, or flexed) when they should relax (remain unflexed). We

>describe

> > our sensation as 'being stiff' or having 'stiffness'.

> >

> > Contracture and clonus are two symptoms of spasticity.

> >

> > Contracture is a permanent muscle shortening, leading to deformity and

>can

> > prevent normal range of motion.

> >

> > Clonus is characterized by sudden, abrupt, brief, involuntary jerk-like

> > contractions of a muscle or muscle group. The term 'myoclonus' is often

>used

> > interchangeably with clonus. The prefix " myo " denotes muscle and

> " clonus "

> > refers to the abnormal contractions. An example of clonus or myoclonus

>is

> > how your knee jumps up and down when you are getting out of bed and put

>your

> > feet down on the floor quickly. Physical therapists determine the

>severity

> > of clonus by the number of beats that occur when this happens.

> >

> > Dolores

>

>

>

>

>

>

>