Skip navigation

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

URL of this page: https://medlineplus.gov/movementdisorders.html

Movement Disorders

Summary

Movement disorders are neurologic conditions that cause problems with movement, such as:

  • Increased movement that can be voluntary (intentional) or involuntary (unintended)
  • Decreased or slow voluntary movement

There are many different movement disorders. Some of the more common types include:

  • Ataxia, the loss of muscle coordination
  • Dystonia, in which involuntary contractions of your muscles cause twisting and repetitive movements. The movements can be painful.
  • Huntington's disease, an inherited disease that causes nerve cells in certain parts of the brain to waste away. This includes the nerve cells that help to control voluntary movement.
  • Parkinson's disease, which is a disorder that slowly gets worse over time. It causes tremors, slowness of movement, and trouble walking.
  • Tourette syndrome, a condition that causes people to make sudden twitches, movements, or sounds (tics)
  • Tremor and essential tremor, which cause involuntary trembling or shaking movements. The movements may be in one or more parts of your body.

Causes of movement disorders include:

Treatment varies by disorder. Medicines can cure some disorders. Others get better when an underlying disease is treated. Often, however, there is no cure. In that case, the goal of treatment is to improve symptoms and relieve pain.

Start Here

Diagnosis and Tests

Treatments and Therapies

Related Issues

Specifics

Genetics

Statistics and Research

Clinical Trials

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

Reference Desk

  • Chorea From the National Institutes of Health (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke)

Find an Expert

Children

Patient Handouts

The information on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice. Contact a health care provider if you have questions about your health.