Twitching after head injury can indicate a post-traumatic movement disorder such as tremors, myoclonus, or spasticity. However, twitching can also be a positive sign of recovery during rehabilitation, especially for individuals with paralysis.

This article will discuss the causes of twitching after brain injury, how it can improve with neuroplasticity (the brain’s ability to heal itself), and effective treatments to promote recovery.

What Causes Twitching After Brain Injury?

The brain sends nerve signals to the muscles telling them when to contract and relax. When the brain sustains damage, many of the neural pathways (connections) can become impaired. Without healthy neural connections, the brain can no longer communicate efficiently with the muscles, resulting in twitching after head injury.

Twitching can interfere with the ability to move, walk, and perform daily activities. It can also be uncomfortable, and even painful at times. However, twitching may not necessarily be a negative sign. Twitching after brain injury can indicate movement being restored in individuals with paralysis. 

As the brain heals and neural connections are restored, communication between the brain and muscles may improve. Because communication is gradually returning, only a few signals can get through, resulting in twitching. In this case, twitching after brain injury can be a positive sign of recovery because it means there is hope for recovery.

In other cases, twitching can indicate a more severe movement disorder and therefore should be taken seriously. Consult with your doctor to learn more about the cause of your twitching and to obtain a proper treatment plan.

Types of Twitching After Head Injury

Various movement disorders that share similar symptoms, and one of the most common symptoms is twitching. Therefore, if you experience twitching after a brain injury it’s important to consult with your doctor to obtain an accurate diagnosis. Understanding the different types of movement disorders can also help you take the necessary steps in your rehabilitation process.

Twitching after brain injury may be derived from the following movement disorders:

1. Spasticity

When nerve signals from the brain cannot reach the muscles, it can cause them to remain in a permanent state of contraction, known as spasticity. This condition can occur when the neural pathways in the areas of the brain that control voluntary movement become damaged. Spasticity symptoms often include tight and stiff muscles, or sudden, severe muscle twitching. 

Spasticity may not be apparent immediately after a brain injury because it usually appears within the first six months post-injury. Thus, twitching after a brain injury can often indicate spasticity setting in. When spasticity is left untreated, it can lead to more serious complications such as pressure sores, joint deformity, and contractures. Fortunately, timely treatment of spasticity can minimize the effects and risk of further complications.

2. Tremors

Additionally, muscles that twitch in a rhythmic pattern after a brain injury could indicate post-traumatic tremors. Cerebellar tremors are one of the most common types of tremors that occur after a TBI. As the name suggests, these tremors are caused by damage to the cerebellum and its neural pathways. The cerebellum plays an important role in coordinating muscle movements.

Thus, damage to this area of the brain can lead to muscle twitching after a head injury. Along with twitching, cerebellar tremors can cause slow, visible shaking movements in the arms and legs. They most often occur at the end of certain movements, such as reaching for an object.

3. Myoclonus

A condition known as myoclonus causes sudden, brief muscle spasms throughout the body. Generally, most healthy individuals experience myoclonus in minor forms such as hiccups, which are spasms in the intercostal muscles. Another example is jerking awake after falling asleep. Although myoclonus is relatively common, it can increase and cause more frequent twitches after a head injury.

4. Dystonia

Dystonia refers to sustained, involuntary muscle contractions that force individuals into abnormal positions. There are two main types of dystonia: focal dystonia and segmental dystonia. Focal dystonia only affects one part of the body including the eyes, jaw, mouth, neck, legs, or arms. Segmental dystonia, on the other hand, affects two or more adjacent muscle groups at the same time.

For example, rather than just the neck spasming, both the neck and jaw twitch simultaneously. Twitching after brain injury can occur with both types of dystonia. It usually appears on the opposite side of where the injury occurred. For instance, individuals with an injury to the left hemisphere typically experience twitching on the right side of the body.

5. Muscle Reactivation

While twitching after a head injury can indicate a more severe movement disorder, it can also be a positive sign during rehabilitation. When the areas of the brain that control movement are affected, it can result in limited mobility or paralysis. Some survivors report twitching in their muscles right before regaining movement on their affected side.

Twitching in individuals with paralysis could be a sign of increasing communication between the brain and muscles. As the brain rewires itself through neuroplasticity, it rebuilds neural pathways connecting it to the muscles. This allows you to regain control of your movements. However, when pathways are beginning to form, only a few signals can get through. As a result, twitching may occur, indicating a new stage in your recovery process.

To keep the brain stimulated and neuroplasticity activated, it’s important to continue therapy and practice rehab exercises. Depending on the severity of the twitching, treatment may require a variety of combinations.

How Neuroplasticity Can Help Reduce Muscle Twitching After Brain Injury

Neuroplasticity refers to the brain’s ability to strengthen existing pathways and create new neural connections. This allows the brain to rearrange itself where the undamaged areas of the brain take over functions from the affected areas. With more healthy neural connections, the brain can send nerve signals to the affected muscles and improve movement.

Neural pathways form in response to high repetition, or massed practice, of rehabilitation exercises. Therefore, to reduce twitching after brain injury, rehabilitation is a must. The more you practice, the more you will reinforce neural pathways and the connection between your muscles will return.

As communication between your brain and muscles improves, twitching will reduce. However, to achieve this and maximize your chances of recovery, high repetition is necessary. For example, studies have shown that it takes about 400 to 600 repetitions per day of challenging functional tasks to stimulate changes in the brain. The more exercises you can complete, the higher the chances of improving muscle function and reducing twitching.

Treatments for Twitching After a Head Injury

Treatment for muscle twitching after head injury may vary depending on the severity. Therefore, it’s important to consult with your doctor to find the best course of treatment for your condition.

They may recommend using a combination of treatments, which can include:

• Therapy: Because the best way to address the root cause of twitching after brain injury is rehabilitation exercises, treatment may include a variety of therapies. This can include physical therapy, occupational therapy, and home therapy.
• Medication: Generally, pain, stiffness, and discomfort are all symptoms of spasticity. To help relieve the symptoms, your doctor may prescribe pain medication. However, medication may have adverse side effects. Therefore, be sure to consult with your doctor before taking any new medication after brain injury.
• Botox: If pain or spasticity is especially severe, your doctor might administer a Botox injection. This can help relax your muscles and temporarily relieve spasticity and twitching after brain injury.
• Home Therapy: While attending 1-2 therapy sessions a week is helpful, it is often not enough to achieve mass practice. On average, individuals finish 40-60 reps in a single therapy session. Therefore, it’s essential to continue rehabilitation at home. Home therapy devices such as FitMi or MusicGlove can provide you with the motivation needed to accomplish hundreds of exercises at home. Individuals perform about 23 times more repetitions with FitMi than with traditional therapy.
• Surgery: This is a highly invasive treatment that should only be considered once all other options have been exhausted. Surgical interventions may sometimes be necessary when twitching after brain injury is severe. Be sure to consult with your doctor first to see if surgery is right for you.

Because twitching may also be a sign of recovery, your rehabilitation approach may be different. However, no matter the cause of twitching after a head injury, the best way to minimize it is to activate neuroplasticity. This will help re-establish the communication between your brain and affected muscles. To accomplish this, high repetition of therapeutic exercises is necessary.

Understanding Twitching After Brain Injury

Twitching after brain injury can indicate a movement disorder such as spasticity or dystonia. However, in other cases, twitching can be a sign of communication within the brain and muscles being restored. 

Nonetheless, twitching can cause pain and discomfort, and it can interfere with daily activities. Therefore, it’s important to talk to your doctor and explore different treatments. The best way to treat the root cause of twitching after brain injury is to practice rehabilitation exercises. The more you practice, the more you activate neuroplasticity and increase the chances of recovery.

We hope this article helped you understand why twitching after brain injury occurs and encouraged you to pursue rehabilitation.

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